India is a spiritual landmark and the land of ahimsa; then why are Indians still so aggressive?
-By Srishti Kannan
India has a history of a non-violent freedom struggle and is known for traditionally valuing learning, philosophy and developing a collective and individual consciousness. Then why do we, as citizens of India, still resort to violence?
Being the land where Ahimsa was born, there are numerous examples throughout history, of Indian leaders and people, taking the path of non-violence and pacifism. One of the most popular examples is our non-violent freedom struggle. Leaders and teachers like Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha, and Ashoka still inspire many around the world. Many seekers of inner-peace and enlightenment, make their way to India to learn from our Gurus and sages. Indian Gods and religious teachers, often talk of being conscious of your actions and being mindful in life. But despite all this, citizens of India hardly live up to their pacifistic traditions and history.
Nearly all people who live in India, will have witnessed some form of social aggression or a brawl, whether at a local Dhaba, the streets, or a local dukaan (shop), etc. One of the most common instances is a road accident. Instead of calling the cops or settling the issue calmly and logically, there’s always some kind of verbal or physical aggression between the two parties, subsequent to the accident. There is almost no such thing as “calmly” settling differences.
Protests in India often take a violent or aggressive turn. A more recent example being the CAA protests in India. Protestors severely damaged public property in disagreement. They also made attempts to physically
harm each other and the police, who had no option but to step in. In fact, one protestor even took to arms and unthinkingly fired a gun.
The above given examples make it explicitly clear that citizens of India are not nearly as pacifistic and non-violent as they’re known for. But why? Why are we still so inherently aggressive? Even after witnessing a peaceful and
successful non-violent mass movement like the Satyagrah, why can we still not rule out the possibility of violence?
There are many possible reasons -
1) A large number of Indians are still below the poverty line. They are still struggling with insufficient resources and go through hardships for even basic necessities. With this pressure for living an adequate lifestyle on their shoulders, it is human nature to become aggressive or physically violent.
2) Indians have a lack of faith in the system. (And frankly, the system has done nothing to change this belief) When citizens believe justice has not been served, they like to take matters into their own hands. “Justice” is then meted through physical acts of aggression and such brutal methods.
3) To be very frank, the Indian justice and execution system is hardly foolproof. Laws are not executed efficiently, pending cases are piling up for the judiciary and the government is still heavily burdened by corruption and biases. Due to poor implementation of laws, citizens have next to no fear of consequences or punishment, which in no way helps in reducing acts of aggression.
If we, as individuals, want to build a peaceful, non-violent nation, we will have to make conscious changes while dealing with any situation. Reaching our social and economic goals as a country will most definitely contribute in aiding our aggressive social mindset. But, all said and done, change starts at an individual level and even a single person making a resolution to promote peace and remain compassionate towards others makes a difference.
Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/amit-nangia/indian-culture-is-all-about-non-vio lence-so-why-are-the-people_a_21448034/?guccounter=1
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