“The root of hatred is fear. These two are straight and reverse sides of the same coin… It is because of the fear of the opponent that hatred arises in us. But there is no word like external enemy in the dictionary of non-violence. When this thing is understood then man’s fear goes away and along with it hatred also ends automatically. In this way, the opponent’s change of heart also means our change of heart.“
There has been a debate on social media over the report of a discredited anchor of a news channel. The anchor’s report on a brutal murder was considered to promote Hindu-Muslim hatred. Questions of journalistic ethics have again arisen on TV media reporting. Instead of watching and understanding, TV journalism has today become responsible to the TV company owner. And media owners have also forgotten social service in their quest to get the support of power. The money earned by the company is definitely made with the cooperation of the government, but it also comes only with the acceptance of the society. Let us leave aside the immorality of industry and journalism and come to the morality of power being responsible towards the society. Apart from the country, across the world, society seems to be struggling to fight violence.
Today in some countries the society seems to be surrounded by hatred and violence instigated by the government. Be it the Russia-Ukraine war or the violence spreading in Central Asia or the hatred spreading in India, other countries will also have to suffer its dire consequences. In all this, the greed of the power and industry there has also been at the mercy of the media there. The society is forced to suffer the cravings of all these. The impact of social media on society has been less good and more provocative.
How can society’s understanding increase in today’s spread and expansion of information? And how should the society fulfill its responsibilities with discretion? It is good for India to see India in its true glory and beauty. Society will have to learn that solutions that cannot be found through violence can be solved only through non-violence. Gandhiji believed that only India, immersed in non-violence, can show the path of civilization to the countries engaged in the violence of uncivilization.
Pyarelal, who was a long-time associate of Mahatma Gandhi and saved his last years in ‘Purnahuti’, elaborated on Gandhi’s ideas on Satyagraha, non-violence and surrender to God. At the time of independence, there was a terrible atmosphere of violence and riots in the country. Which can be seen even today in the country and the world. He writes, “In Gandhiji’s view, nonviolence was not just a philosophy. But there was a method of doing things. It was a means of change of heart. Gandhiji has discussed its secret in great detail by using it in communal riots.”
“Violence is a special disease, a disease. At the bottom of communal riots lies an attitude of fear. Which is misused by newspapers (today’s media) that do not have any ethical consideration. And by provoking this they create madness among the common people. A newspaper (Aaj TV channel) predicts that riots are going to happen, all the sticks and knives have been sold in Delhi. And every person gets scared by this news. Another newspaper (TV channel) reports riots here and there and blames the police for taking the side of Hindus at one place and Muslims at another place. “Normal people get troubled by this also.”
“The root of hatred is fear. These two are the right and reverse sides of the same coin. Therefore, the greater the desire to kill, the less preparation there is to die. It is because of the fear of our opponent that hatred arises in us. But there is no word like external enemy in the dictionary of non-violence. When this thing is understood then man’s fear goes away and along with it hatred also ends automatically. In this way, the opponent’s change of heart also means our change of heart.
“The way to conquer the feeling of fear is not to bury your head in the sand like an ostrich. But we have to develop such faith within ourselves which never wavers. True wisdom lies in remaining calm and sane even after seeing the danger clearly and having faith in the goodness of God. Thus we come to the deepest foundation of Satyagraha – prayer.
The Satyagrahi trusts God to protect him from the tyranny of brute force. Prayer is the first and last lesson in learning the noble and heroic art of self-surrender in various walks of life. Gandhiji believed that prayer is not an old lady’s leisure time entertainment. “Prayer, when properly understood and used appropriately, is a very powerful tool.”
“For prayer there must be living faith in God. Without such faith, successful Satyagraha cannot be imagined. Gandhiji used to say that God can be called by any name, as long as it means the living religion of life – in other words, there is only one God, the creator of rules and regulations. The courage to die comes from the belief that God resides in everyone’s heart and there should be no fear in God’s presence.
Knowledge of God’s omnipresence also means respect for the lives of those who are called opponents. The power to overcome anger and hatred and all other base impulses comes through prayer. In the absence of this, the Satyagrahi will not develop the courage to die without anger, fear and revenge. When impulses run high and fear and mass hysteria overwhelm the people, the man of prayer must keep a cool head even in the storm and refuse to stoop to the level of the animal.”
“Even in violence there are examples of the victory of love and religion. Gandhiji believed that the human race would have died out had it not been for the manifestation of divine qualities in humans from time to time. The true test of non-violence or love is fearlessness. All fear goes away with perfect love. On the contrary, fear indicates that we lack love or non-violence towards that which we fear.
But when there is fear in the heart, there is no benefit in pretending to be brave. That doesn’t work. ….Such instances have also been found when a child has been playing with a snake fearlessly and not even a single hair has grown on it. But if an adult person, who is afraid of snakes, tries to play with the snake, the snake will feel fear at his very touch and perhaps the snake will bite him. “The same is true about humans too.”
“Gandhiji had the answer to all these problems. It is true that the murderer becomes a victim of evil propaganda. But such propaganda can also be effective only in a polluted environment. If poison is removed from the environment, unprincipled propaganda will be in vain. The right solution is to start with yourself. ….. Your prayers and love for God will be in vain if they do not clear the atmosphere of fear, panic and hysteria among the common people. … We can refuse to encourage hysteria in thought, word, and deed. … Pure thought is more powerful than words. … Today it has become fashionable to make fun of non-violence by calling it sky-high. “Yet Gandhiji believed that this was the only way to keep the Hindu religion alive and keep India united.”
Today the fear being instilled in sects, groups or Hindus and Muslims is just a lust for power. The society itself will have to return and follow the religion or religion of truth and non-violence. Shakeel Azmi saw this couplet on social media itself.
If you plant a garden then put some love in it too.
No Shajar is complete without birds.
Let the society remember Gandhi Jayanti with thoughts, words and actions.