I tracked down a couple of journal papers along with various websites to read on the alignment of the Indian Politics with Ahimsa. In all of the articles/accessible websites, I found that apart from the aspect of spiritual development, self-realization and morality, India’s tradition is the only heritage that walks us through peace, equality, freedom, justice and oneness kept circumscribed by love, even in the spectrum of national and international politics.
However, considering the current political scenario and circumstances, I realize that the aspect of Ahimsa is quite insignificant and redundant. Every day, the newspaper headline blinks with violence, and maybe the only day we get to see a photograph of love is after the day the Nobel peace prize is declared. Of course, the current context of India is entangled with contradiction, conflict, collision, disagreement, and competition within and among the sovereign states. It seems that the basic idea of Ahimsa consisting of morality, non-violence, and love can’t be made pragmatic.
The question arises, why?
Our states are designed in such a way so that they can control our emotions. Let’s say if the government introduces a policy which biased towards a particular sect of community, it is evident that Ahimsa shall never evolve. But let’s say the government decides to frame a policy which shall benefit people of all caste, religion, and economy equally, don’t you think, love, shall generate autonomously?
The pluralism of views, ideas, perspective diverts the people from the fundamental social principles and moral propositions. The viewpoints, when magnified with the catalyzing effect from the media and the political powers, generate competition in people like us, the commons. Our country is guided with survival, security, power, ideological beliefs, and material gains rather than love, humanity, and equality.
I believe that we are not in the track of Ahimsa, but it’s not entirely the fault of our government or the state policies. We are also partly responsible for drifting our vision away from Ahimsa. Keeping politics aside, and next time when you go out, buy a loaf of bread and give it to that unprivileged person sitting on the footpath.
Do you know what shall make you happy? It’s not the act of Ahimsa that you are doing. It’s the smile of his/her face that will make you feel proud and make you believe that ‘this country still has its humanity, love, and equality encapsulated within it.’