Enough of greys where the colours permitted are white colour and the absence of colour.
Actually the choice of place in Satyagraha serves a symbolic purpose ; like JP , India Gate etc. These places have witnessed massive mass movements in the past e.g Jay Prakash Narayan. Also it should accommodate the maximum number of people - followers & protesters. He's declared from the very beginning that he would organise a people's movement, not mere tokenism. Otherwise he & followers can might as well fast at home.
It is "Satyagraha" that 'just another common Indian' is being inspired to do by Anna. That has got many aspects to fulfil to drive home its protest.
* People join a Satyagraha by themselves, and not by given money and free lunch packets. The leader does something that the target of protest is cornered to concede, and the mass is inspired by the leading light ahead, and follow the exemplary leader.
* The protest and its reason intends to reach maximum number of people all over the world. A successful Satyagraha rides mass support in other countries in addition to the support of its country. It needs audio visual exposure to be noticed by one and all. The target bows down to mass protests, genuine grievances of the suffering lot, and dissenting voices.
M K Gandhi called off the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1929 when he had the support of the entire country behind him. He called it off because of a stray incident of violence when protesters burned 7 policemen alive in Chaurichaura Police Station. This act of seeming 'benevolence' should never be forgotten by forgiving broad-minded hearts, because the country's independence was holding a stake in 1929. Gandhi might have had a good night's sleep, with Non-violence being upgraded, but he stole and ruined a good night's sleep for Indians for the next 18 years, and perhaps history of Divided India would've been different.
Gandhi put the priority of his philosophy ahead of the county's well being --- it can never be defended, because Gandhi himself was against Fanaticism -- religious or ethnic. But here is one example of philosophical fanaticism he committed himself and India paid an expensive price.
It was centuries of pent up hatred, disgust & anger exploding having a vent somewhere. Though burning people alive cannot be condoned by any means, in any situation, it wouldn't be fair if I look at the incident without an eye on the pages of history of colonial rule, keeping the crueltyn and unprovoked dastardly acts of crime that had been unleashed during colonial governance.. .
Not willing to denigrate of Dr. Bertrand Russell and Voltaire's intellect in any way, I'd rephrase their quotes. Times tends to rephrase, if not replace, everything ('when times they are a changin..')
"The origin of Extreme actions lie in extreme anger, or extreme defeat" - true. It shall be more correct if the stress is laid on the 'extremes', and not anger or defeat per se. This can analyse the Chaurichaura horror, but can never justify it.
Well M K Gandhi would have been awe struck if he was around today. Not a single episode of violence & vandalism in the greatest mass movement in the history of India. I wonder if there's a peer anywhere else. I salute you, people of India.
Sent from my BlackBerry®Smartphone ------------------------------------------------------
Dr.Anirban Chaudhuri, MBBS
Consultant Physician,
Mumbai, India. ------------------------------------------------------
"It is important to just listen for a while instead of speaking." -- My teacher ------------------------------------------------------
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