As a kid, as a teenager and also in my youth I have actively and enthusiastically pursued the history of my great nation with passion and religious devotion.
I hated that portion of my nation’s history where we were enslaved and subjugated to atrocities by the Europeans/British and the Islamic barbarian invaders.
I further more hated that part where India under took the non-violent route towards freedom struggle. I could easily admire a Bhagat singh, a Sukh Dev or a Neta Ji and a Chandrashekar Azad.
I could admire Gandhi Ji only with some reservations.
I had wondered what power did sathyagraha or non-violence possess. I wondered, wasn’t aggression the best and the easiest way out? I had always firmly believed that violence and aggression would have got us the freedom much earlier than gandhi’s way.
I desperately wanted to relate to Gandhiji and his principles, but I couldn’t. I read books upon books, including “My experiments with truth”; of which I proudly own an original copy from way back in 1950s priced 50 paisa. Still, I couldn’t relate, I simply reconciled and compromised to blindly accept Gandhi ji as a great leader.
All the time last 10 years I had hoped that India gets a leader who will show me the meaning and essence of Gandhism. I had been disillusioned and disgusted at the way nation’s leadership was taken up, none of them worthy of being one. I had pitied myself and my generation to be unfortunate to have been led by spineless and aimless, double faced so- called leaders.
But all that is changed today, all my doubts cleared now. It was as if Gandhiji heard us somewhere from up and sent us Annaji, Kishan Baburao Hazare.
One man, One resolve and look at what we have. We have an inspired, rejuvenated and spirited nation here. And what was his medium??? Anshan, non-violence and integrity. Unwavering and focused, polite and pious, passionate and innocent!!!!!Truthful and determined towards the cause and purpose.
His resolve had the power to mobilize a whole nation, a nation of 125 crore. 12 days of nationwide “protests” and not a single drop of blood was shed. There was no one who came out crying at the end of it. At the end of it each and every person involved came out a changed, energized and a happy person.
This phrase proves itself correct again and again.
Aren’t we a lucky generation who read gandhism in theory and also had the opportunity put into practice???
Aren’t we proud to have a leader like Anna amongst us??? Aren’t we proud to call ourselves INDIANs?
Not that we were ever, not-proud, today it makes us even more proud.
World over when, nation after nation is soaking in blood bath protests and we see social degeneration of other nations, we worried that we too might go into that mode. But, my dear friends look at what we have achieved…… aren’t you absolutely ecstatic about it??? Aren’t you filled with nationalist pride and doesn’t a drop of tear break down your eyes when you look back at the days of non-violent protests Gandhi ji led, that were met with violent retaliation from the British.
I truly appreciate the values and essence of Gandhism!!!! And I am proud to be an INDIAN at this point of time more than any other!!!!
Jai Hind Jai Bharat!!!!!
