Drishtikone
One of my favorite writers on the web – Rahul Pandita – narrates his time in Kashmir.. his last months and days that he spent in his “home”. He refers to a terrorist – Bitta Karate – who killed uncountable Pandits.. and is still alive in the Indian Jail.. only to be – probably – let free by a stupid Indian politician .. or worse still BECOME ONE!
He ends his post by thinking out loud of taking up a gun someday.
His thought of the gun is met by pleas from readers and commenters to persuade him against it!
It set me thinking at the age old question of Violence and Non-violence (which I have expressed as a comment on his blog too) – and which I am trying to answer here:
Non-Violence is NOT a moral stand, per se! Non-violence doesnt remain so when it abets another to kill because of your inaction. And this is a difference that most dont get. They simply duck the questions –
Non-violence for whom??
In front of whom and lastly..
TO THE BENEFIT OF WHOM???
If last answer points to an unscruplous devil.. then one is GUILTY of INACTION as opposed to the VIRTUE of NON VIOLENCE!!
Regarding the thoughts on how we can deal with the situation in India? Here is my take:
In a country where the very Genesis of Gita owed its debt to a skeptic called Arjun who question EVERY assertion of Krishna until he would see his “Viraat” form…. somehow the Saints and the Gurus have turned us into a nation of timid and meek people for whom FAITH (as opposed to skepticism) is the sine qua non!! Our FAITH has KILLED US!!
The need of the hour is NOT ONLY an Arjun or Chandragupta but Krishna or Chanakya MORE.. who will not tie his hair until he has crushed the apathy of the rulers under the weight of the loss of their powers or who is ready to answer EVERY question of a skeptic with a warm but determined, honest and steadfast intellect. Let us develop that intellect and be the Krishna and Chanakya!!
What do you think?
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