Love is a panacea for all the maladies that keep the people divided, thus spake FG when we were half way through that nightlong gathering of our GANG. Being still under the spell of her interaction with a venerable Gandhian during her recent visit to Vedchi, a village near in Surat in Gujarat, she insisted that love alone was the weapon to battle hatred and violence that deepened the divide between communities, especially Hindus and Muslims.
All hell broke out when she said this and I was among those who refused to take her prescription of love. Why? Before trying to explicate my position on FG’s arguments, let me summarise what she tried to drive home. Politicians, she says, are the tribe that keeps the people divided and they have learned this from the colonial British. She quotes Narayan Desai, the Gandhian she met, as saying misconceptions (between Hindus and Muslims) can be dispelled if the channels of communications are kept open. “Keep your mind and heart open. Welcome Muslims into your life and homes…[then] our fears dissolve,” she quotes the Gandhian: “I may not be able to stop the horrors committed by others but at least I can refuse to be a participant? I can disagree and continue to maintain that opening your home and heart to people is the best way to overcome the fear of the unknown.”
You may not like the romantic and idealistic tone of FG, but there is hardly anything in what she said that has to be opposed tooth and nail. Absolutely nothing. But still I was among those who swooped on her and countered her arguments. Why? I will try to list out my arguments for debate:
1. Blaming politicians in general for every problem facing the country is a sort of escapism. I believe that there is no politician or political party in general. Living in a democracy always involves the need for making a political choice between one leader from the other, one party from the other. If I am in Gujarat, I will cast my vote against Modi and I have valid reasons for that. I will not abstain from voting. I will exercise my democratic rights to see him out of power. Those who voted him back to power have equally valid reasons for doing so. But that does not mean that my choice and their choice are morally equivalent. Expecting perfect guys in politics is nothing short of Utopian. But there is a difference between a party that incited passion to have a mosque demolished by its cadres and a party that has a dynastic streak which you don’t like but proclaims its commitment to secularism which you like.
2. I believe that democracy works on the concept of tolerance and not on love. I cannot love a person whose views are diametrically opposed to mine. But I will tolerate him as long as s/he doesn’t kill me for my views. Love and understanding are always possible among secular people. A devout Muslim who believes that his/her religion is the only true religion cannot love and understand people belonging to other religions. So is a devout Christian, Jew or any devout person belonging to any other absolutist faith
3. Justice is an important tool for healing wounds that divide the peoples. Justice brings reconciliation. Preaching love and mutual understanding between Hindus and Muslims cannot be an answer to communal polarisation. Culprits from either side of the divide should be brought to justice. There is a news report in today’s The Hindu on the impact after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered public apology for all past injustices against aborigines. Such sublime effort to bring reconciliation by political establishment is far more effective and important than preaching love and compassion.
4. What has been happening over the past 10 days or so in Maharashtra as a result of hatred and passion incited by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has once again proved the importance of the political establishment (read government) that acts decisively against perpetrators. Well-intentioned people like Narayan Desai who “may not able to stop the horrors committed by others but refuse to be participants” offer no solace to thousands of migrant workers from Bihar who are fleeing Maharashtra in the wake of the MNS-sponsored violence.
5. As important as the political establishment is the civil society which is defined by London School of Economics Centre for Civil Society as “the arena of uncoerced collective action around shared interests, purposes and values”. A country with strong civil society can always expose the designs of exclusivist or chauvinistic thugs (Thackerays et al) and fundamentalist groups (like those that are baying for the blood of Taslima Nasreen) for what they are.
I feel sorry that FG felt she was the victim of the ‘mayhem’ that day. We were not attacking her ideals of peace and harmony. We were just trying to show the vulnerability of her wishful thinking that everything would be beautiful if people discover and apply love to sort out all problems. I believe that there is no love in general. It is always specific. It is this specificity of love that allows us to enjoy our debates, fights, arguments and counter-arguments, and our gatherings. SHALOM.
3 comments:
Have you ever witnessed the power of a smile? A smile that shows up in your eyes when you look at the other person?
No matter how aggressive the other is, they kind of hesitate.
I do not blame politicians. I blame us. For not being able to apply our minds the right way.
Look at the idiot Raj Thackeray. He staking claim to Bal Thackeray's legacy. He came up with anti-south Indians in the 70s/80s. My dad would tell us to be ready to evacuate Bombay. Why? Aparently, all jobs were taken by the South Indians. Indeed.
What happened? Actually nothing in retrospect. But back then, BT was hailed as a saviour. He made money, built a fortress for himself; had all the women he wanted; but never made it to the big league as no one in business would let him disrupt commerce. He remained in the fringes.
Raj wants to hijack that legacy. If he touched South Indians, he would be called an idiot and banished.
So, it is the North Indians now. They have made the city rude and intolerant. Balderdash. But how else can he take up newsprint? He almost became a nobody after BT decided to make his son the chosen one.
That is what I mean. Sure, Bangalore is getting affected; so claims Kannadigas. All divisive politics.
We have to stand up and say, make a law that is equal for all. Nobody should be bigger, better. Break traffic rules, haul him/her. Misbehave, put them in the slammer.
As a nation, we have a long way to go. As people, we have even longer to go. To go beyond self imposed boundaries and become evolved beings.
Latha
Sure. There we agree. It requires courage to go beyond the barriers of community, religion, nation, language, culture etc. And the barriers are breaking slowly. Perhaps the tumult we witness today is the impact of this shaking.
I disagree on two counts. Howsoever it might hurt you I will still stick with the fact that Love is not a remedy, it is an act of commission and omission. Love does not flower in a vaccuum, it is specific bound.
As for the political dyslexia that is engulfing the country - We cannot blame all the politicians all the time for all the ills of society. Why go to Bombay(shouldn't it be Mumbai?), we have characters nearer to our hearths and homes who sound even more meaningless and circumspect than Bal Thackeray.
Take Karunakaran, for instance. No one knows when he is in Congress or out of it. No one knows when his son is in or out of the party. No one knows when his daughter is in or out of the party. Arre, they made a badal party with much pomp using the hard earned money of us taxpayers. And what happens in the end? They are back and ensconed in their Tharavad that they call Congress!
Now, suppose we apply the love theory to Modi. Now, don't shirk away from this act. After all one Modi cannot make a summer. The irony is that he has actually made summer in the backyards of Gujarat with his divisive tactics and devious agendas. But why are we so shocked at the turn of events? Eight years back, if I remember correctly, one hell of a politician who goes by the name of MVRaghavan was told specifically and politely, no doubt, as to not to stir out of his home when the non-govt aided educational instituitions issue was raging. But politicians have to make hay while the sun shines, right? So he rode to Kuthuparamba and five young men lost their lives. Their party needs blood like the dracula and martyrs for their very existence.
All the same you cannot put all the politicians in one basket either. There must definitely be a couple of them who are like us as well. I think it is their chairs that need a change.
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