Sunday 5 February 2012

Indians and the Agneepath way !

Should the youngsters of today's India resort to weapons?

"...यार इन सभी नेताओ को लाइन में खड़ा करके गोली मार देनी चाहिए... " We most often than not may have heard the more ardent of the patriotic youngsters say this. I have myself said this more times than I can recall. Now, a question has arisen in my mind, is it really the right way? Is it the only way to subdue the obnoxious presence of the omnipresent corruption? Will this cure the country of this disease and restore it to some pristine state?

          Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was only 24-25, when in 1893, he was thrown off a train in South Africa. He did not fight back with the racist englishmen who considered themselves a superior race. He took up path that was peaceful, long term, diplomatic and non-violent. Ahimsa (अहिंसा), was his supreme tool of action. He was fondly called Bapu (बापू), or the father of our nation and it is the belief of historians and people alike that it was his non-violent struggle and his persistence that won the Indians their freedom. True, but, is  it absolutely true?
           Have you ever considered the flip side of this?
Do you not think that if it were not for the forceful struggles and resistance provided by the so called extremists; Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Ram Prasad Bismil, Chandra Shekhar Azad and other not so famous men, freedom was not possible?
When most men were talking of non-violence under gandhiji's teachings, there were some who were killed or who lost their loved one's to british bullets. So, when they were killing us why should we have not struck them back in the hearts and minds? We did and the above mentioned men were the most prominent in these attacks. A  जलियांवाला बाग़ massacre was reciprocated by Bhagat Singh, Azad killing Dyer, who ordered the killings.
Shubhash Chandra Bose was earlier a common indian politician, the first indian man to break the taboo that indians cannot enter civil services. He had differences with Gandhi, and he left Indian Congress and was exiled by British Indian government. He went on to take refuge in Japan and built the Indian National Army. He planned to attack India and win it back from the british. He couldn't succeed, but, he showed the rulers what Indians are capable of. He used force, but, highly organised force.



              Coming back to present times, we have seen that youth of India boiled at the idea of reservations and discrimination on the basis of caste. Some went on to say that the minister who brought it in should be killed. Their inspiration: Rang de Basanti,  a movie that depicts five youngsters killing the corrupt defense minister of India because of whose actions their friend died. Although, it tried to depict youth awakening  and patriotism, it simply showed some revenge taking. Justified?
              Coming to almost the end of my discussion, I will talk about the title of my post, Agneepath. A movie that made waves when it was shot with Amitabh Bachchan as its lead actor and causing a frenzy still when it has been remade with Hrithik Roshan. The point? "Avenge the wrongs done to you", the violent way. We see corrupt and the shit about it, criminals taking up elite positions in the Indian government. It is not restricted to any one party. All are same. We talk about being the youngest country, but, we do not yet have a bright future. Not with criminals having the balance of power. Crime is rampant and although it may not affect everybody resulting in the illusion that we are safe, it is spreading like a wildfire. Political, Cyber, social everything. Our laws are good, but, outdated. Many clauses have lost their significance, but, the amendment procedure is too long and cumbersome. Result? Justice delayed and justice denied and most unfortunately justice inappropriate. 
               Law and politics is becoming the game of power brokers and when there is law-lessness, there rises violence. To settle their disputes, the ordinary citizen takes up weapons and hell breaks loose. Think about it all my readers and suggest the ways to make a peaceful, non-corrupt and dignified, decent society. Take care.!!