“Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth”- Albert Einstein on Mahatma Gandhi.
A man with nothing more than a loin cloth around his waist and the conviction of the truth he holds as his sole and greatest weapon challenged, and ultimately forced the mighty British empire to relinquish its economic and political stranglehold over India. What the man, born as Mohondas Karamchand Gandhi and revered as the ‘Father of the Nation’ exemplified was the perceived frailty and humility turning out to be his greatest strengths.
Born on October2, 1869, he was a wayward child, as mediocre as anyone, full of curiosity and childhood enthusiasm. After attaining education and real life experiences from various countries, he realized the futility of oppressive politics and physical domination without the conviction of one’s actions.
On his birthday today, the country, and the rest of the world as well are still remembering the person. What still remain true for the people today as it was then are the principles that Gandhi lived and preached. The principles of non-violence, self-reliance and rationality, among others, perhaps has more relevance in today’s world more than ever, what with the increasingly violent and impatient nature we all are developing, inadvertently or otherwise. We are also witnessing an increased dependence on central funds and largesse for the development of the state given that there is an evidently regressive development and no sustainable progress worth mentioning. Today we also witness the center becoming a deciding factor of whom to rule the state making the state completely dependent to the central government.
Case in point- while the state is just recovering from the difficulties caused by the failure many things, the mind of the people of the state are living in fear. A fear to the threat in the territorial integrity and fear for the future of the Indigenous Manipuri people due the CAB, the government of India is planning to pass. Besides, the political crisis for change of leadership has added more uncertainty to concern people of the state.
The present social conflicts and misunderstandings spawned by false propaganda and ethnically tainted rumours is today threatening to tear the state and plunge it into chaos and violent mayhem, all because we failed to reason with ourselves and instead chose to go with the flow which is unfortunately steered by self-centered and biased leaders.
The increasing pace of competition and development calls for a greater control of our emotions, actions and intentions, and it is times like now when one needs to turn to the life of people like Gandhi’s for inspiration and vindication of our thoughts and beliefs.
Image Source: Wikipedia
