SEDATION, NATIONALISM AND FREEDOM
Those were Gandhi years and British rule. Down south in a small hamlet in Mysore someone asked the villager ‘do you know who rules us?. The simple and poor farmer replied –‘I do not know but someone must be. As the God runs the universe, so someone must be running this country. I do not know either. All I know that it is the local money lender who rules us’.
That was some 75 years back. A lot has changed since then. Thanks to Democratic system of Government we have since Independence in 1947. Once in five or less years this villager is pampered with promises in exchange of his vote. Having cast his vote many times by now and not seeing any of the promises fulfilled, he has decided to go by the old saying-‘one in hand is better than two in the bush’. So he accepts anything in cash or kind in exchange for his vote. Simple and honest as he is, he keeps his promise.
JNU stir has thrown open some very interesting subjects of sedation, nationalism and freedom. I thought of talking to the villagers of the day and went on a truth seeking privilege on these subjects and in the process was able to talk to some of them. To my surprise they proved to be very knowledgeable. I think radio and TV has done it. I translated these words into his language as far and as accurate as I could.
First I talked of sedation. Sedation, I said is saying or doing something against the nation and that is crime punishable under the law as it stands today. He could not understand. He said where is the time to say or do anything against the nation in the midst of our daily fight for survival. As it is we are so unlucky that we were born in this country. Even Modi, said so when in the foreign lands talking to the Indian Diaspora. No one took notice and charged us or any body of sedation charges then. We talk of many things unpleasant about the country but in essence we talk about the rulers. Well if the rulers think they are the country, we cannot help it. He however promised that once he takes over the reigns of the country, all will be proud of having born there and would praying for taking birth in India again and again.
Then I talked of Nationalism. Nationalism, I said is loving your country and doing anything for it if demanded. He was confused. He said why anyone would ask that? It is but natural to love and protect what is yours like my family. Our ancestors who migrated to other countries, love and fight for the country of their domicile. Millions of Indians left the country and live in other countries and their Nationalism is for that country. As long as we are here we have to love and fight for it. It is like as long as we have a family, we have to love and fight for it. Here we first love and fight for ourselves, then the family, the community, the village, the State and the country in that order. Our nationalism also is in that order.
Finally I talked about freedom. Freedom I said is saying doing anything that does not harm others. He understood it a bit. Yes we practice it. We do not meddle into others business nor expect them to meddle in ours. That way we maintain our freedom. We have however one common enemy, poverty, We are fighting it jointly and severely. Anything that helps us annihilate this enemy is always welcome. Our experience so far has bellied any hope.
I could not decide who was ignorant, them or me.
Those were Gandhi years and British rule. Down south in a small hamlet in Mysore someone asked the villager ‘do you know who rules us?. The simple and poor farmer replied –‘I do not know but someone must be. As the God runs the universe, so someone must be running this country. I do not know either. All I know that it is the local money lender who rules us’.
That was some 75 years back. A lot has changed since then. Thanks to Democratic system of Government we have since Independence in 1947. Once in five or less years this villager is pampered with promises in exchange of his vote. Having cast his vote many times by now and not seeing any of the promises fulfilled, he has decided to go by the old saying-‘one in hand is better than two in the bush’. So he accepts anything in cash or kind in exchange for his vote. Simple and honest as he is, he keeps his promise.
JNU stir has thrown open some very interesting subjects of sedation, nationalism and freedom. I thought of talking to the villagers of the day and went on a truth seeking privilege on these subjects and in the process was able to talk to some of them. To my surprise they proved to be very knowledgeable. I think radio and TV has done it. I translated these words into his language as far and as accurate as I could.
First I talked of sedation. Sedation, I said is saying or doing something against the nation and that is crime punishable under the law as it stands today. He could not understand. He said where is the time to say or do anything against the nation in the midst of our daily fight for survival. As it is we are so unlucky that we were born in this country. Even Modi, said so when in the foreign lands talking to the Indian Diaspora. No one took notice and charged us or any body of sedation charges then. We talk of many things unpleasant about the country but in essence we talk about the rulers. Well if the rulers think they are the country, we cannot help it. He however promised that once he takes over the reigns of the country, all will be proud of having born there and would praying for taking birth in India again and again.
Then I talked of Nationalism. Nationalism, I said is loving your country and doing anything for it if demanded. He was confused. He said why anyone would ask that? It is but natural to love and protect what is yours like my family. Our ancestors who migrated to other countries, love and fight for the country of their domicile. Millions of Indians left the country and live in other countries and their Nationalism is for that country. As long as we are here we have to love and fight for it. It is like as long as we have a family, we have to love and fight for it. Here we first love and fight for ourselves, then the family, the community, the village, the State and the country in that order. Our nationalism also is in that order.
Finally I talked about freedom. Freedom I said is saying doing anything that does not harm others. He understood it a bit. Yes we practice it. We do not meddle into others business nor expect them to meddle in ours. That way we maintain our freedom. We have however one common enemy, poverty, We are fighting it jointly and severely. Anything that helps us annihilate this enemy is always welcome. Our experience so far has bellied any hope.
I could not decide who was ignorant, them or me.
