“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi
The year 2020
“See evil, hear evil, speak evil.”
~ 2020 Indians
We celebrated the 73rd Independence of our country India from the oppressive British rulers this year – 2020 – the bonafide worse year of the century!
The year 2020 – we’ve also celebrated the 151st birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – Our Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi – whose legacy, teachings, and sacrifice towards our country, to date illuminates around the world.
And as I write this piece, I’m not trying to be patriotic, patronizing, or nationalistic. It’s just a reflection, recollection, and contemplation of all the history we studied back in school – and for a few even in college – and yet haven’t fulfilled the core purpose of history.
What’s the purpose of history?
It’s to build and aid a community comprised of citizens from varying ethnic, religious, and socio-economic groups – to live in peace, harmony, and comradeship – to uplift and empower the impecunious and weak – to build a better, optimistic world of survival!
Our nation’s founding fathers, the freedom fighters – with passion, a fearless heart, and selflessness – fought against the “ever resourceful, oppressive, divisive and arrogant – British Empire – who tried to wring out the very Soul of India and leave her high and dry!
It’s been 73 years since India’s Independence from the British Rule – and yet we are almost reliving our history. Only this time, the “freedom fighters” are fighting to empower fellow Indians to fight for a better, beautiful future. And it’s because our nation is divided – just like our Soul – or better – we’re devoid of passion, fearlessness, and love for our country that our freedom fighters manifested!
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar – the father of the Indian Constitution – relentlessly fought against the caste system, caste biases and strived hard towards a foundation of a casteless society, within the realms of the principle of justice.
2020 – India continues to be tucked in the caste divide’s biases, often indicated through our invisible discriminatory actions within society.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy – The Father of Indian Renaissance – about whom we delightfully studied – and as women, felt empowered and proud. He throttled religious hypocrisies practiced back in the day through the socio-religious reform ideologies and efforts of Brahma Samaj. He was also the man who abolished the heinous, misogynistic practice of Sati Pratha.
2020 – India continues to burn the dignity, freedom, and power of women in the pyres of patriarchal sati pratha – witnessed through an increase in rape, sexual harassment, violence against women, inequality, and female-demonization.
Even our Missile Man of India – Dr. APJ Kalam – the 11th President of India – envisioned India’s future as a developed nation – through his book India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium.
He envisioned India to become Economic World Leader by 2020.
It’s 2020 – And India’s Growth is down at -23.9, the unemployment rate is at 23.4%.
India 2020 – Rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer. Blind-faith begetting atrocities in society. Facts are getting dusted under the carpet of greed and power. The barbs of Social Media are constructing our Society.