Antidote for 'Emergency'

 

Though I was only in the 5th Standard when the #Emergency was clamped, from my father I used to get regular updates regarding the happenings. It ignited the spirit to stand against injustice and authoritarianism.

Later from books like 'The Judgment' by #KuldipNayar (who with the support of #RamnathGoenka had conducted a spirited campaign against the Emergency through the Indian Express) and 'Delhi Under Emergency', I had the opportunity to learn about the Emergency vividly. The Book about the Alahabad High Court trial by #PrashanthBushan (The case that shook India) also was highly informative, giving the detailed proceedings in the High Court in which Shanthi Bushan had represented Raj Narayan against #Smt.IndiraGandhi which ultimately led to the unseating of the PM and her imposition of the Emergency to protect her reign.

What precipitated the Emergency was the refusal of #JusticeV.R.KrishnaIyer to give an unconditional stay against the High Court Order, but only a 10 day stay to enable the Congress party to elect a leader to occupy the post of PM. The Legendary #NaniPalkiwala, who was appearing on behalf of Smt. Indira Gandhi in the Supreme Court, walked out of the case, once the Emergency was declared and opposition leaders including JP and Morarji were arrested and put in jail.

What we faced during the 19 months of Emergency was only a small glimpse of what had been faced in other parts of the world during fascist regimes.

Nightmares still continue in various methods in different degrees, till date.

Hence, on this day, we once again try to analyze the symptoms of such ills and its antidote.

Symptoms:

Centralization of power

The belief in one leader as savior from all ills

The belief of the leader about one’s own importance and indispensability

Acceptance of the above from majority of people

Formation of cartels around the leader who has been accepted by popular support

Vested interests taking roots in the cartels

The leader coming under the sway of the cartels

All institutions made subservient to the interests of the supreme leader and the cartel that has formed around the leader

With the erosion of institutions, more and more dissent getting suppressed

Only ‘Yes men’ allowed

The leader gets alienated from the masses and real needs.

Antidote:

Consistent attempts by people with knowledge of the dangers of the above, to keep the people informed about the eventuality.

Constant reminder that in the entire history of humanity, no single human (or for that even ideology) has been able to solve all problems of mankind.

Constant reminder that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Constant reminder that there are no short cuts to development – that real and lasting development depends upon all round growth.

Constant reminder that what goes round, also comes round - injustice caused to one today could knock at our own gates tomorrow – and there may not be any one to support us, if we are quiet now, or even support injustice directly or tacitly.

Constant efforts to keep institutions of democracy and governance protected from encroachment by vested interests.

Reminding every generation that ‘Eternal vigil is the price of freedom’.

Protection from knowledge and even God

Al-Hujwiri was a Sufi saint belonging to the 11th Century, born near Ghazni (more known for the Muhamad of Ghazni, the invader) in Afghanistan.

Like many of the statements of the Sufi saints, some of his chief statements attracted me.

In his work, ‘Kashf al-Mahjub’ he is quoted as to saying:

“Whatever may be an activity, good or bad, once one gets used to it, mind easily accepts it. When such a habit is formed, then this practice itself becomes a screen between oneself and God. To tear that screen becomes the chief duty of a Sufi”.

It is stated that Mohammed the Prophet used to say that the fasting of brother Dawood Alaihislam was the greatest method of fasting because he would fast one day and would not do so on another day.

Fundamentally, all this point towards annihilating ritualism and even what one would hold as great knowledge.

This reminds one of the verse 9 of the Isopanishad which says,

“They who worship ignorance enter into darkness
They who worship knowledge enter into greater darkness”.

For an ordinary mind the first part is clear while the second is stupefying since knowledge only is capable of extinguishing ignorance and knowledge is after all held to be power.

This seemingly contradictory statement has been explained by great ones clarifying that worship of knowledge is different from acquiring knowledge and worshipping knowledge means one has stopped learning, but become ritualistic and hence is an impediment in really getting enlightened. It has been explained like this: To remove the thorn of ignorance, the thorn called knowledge is required and once the thorn called ignorance is removed, then the use of the thorn called knowledge also vanishes.


There is a story narrated about Abu Bakr al-Shibli, one of the great Sufi mystics.

It goes that when Shibli had a wash of himself and was about to enter the shrine, a voice within himself asked, ‘Do you think that you are very pure just because you have washed yourself?’.

When he was about to turn around and leave, the voice asked, ‘Having come to my house, are you returning without entering and thus insulting me?’.

When Shibli started lamenting about this predicament aloud, the voice within asked, ‘Are you shouting at me?’.

When Shibli kept quiet, the voice asked, ‘Are you putting on an act as if you are putting up with all ordeals?’.

In sheer exasperation Shibli cried, ‘Hey God, I pray that you may protect me from you’.

Sacrifice of oneself at the alter of God is said to be the greatest sacrifice.

All spiritual greats have repeatedly said this over centuries, all across the globe at various times.

God, grant us that wisdom.

Id Mubarak on this Bakrid to all friends.

 

 

God and inequality

          Once when we were arguing our case to an official, my friend said that there should be equality in application of certain principles.  The official with a wave of his hand said, ‘don’t talk about equality, even God is not equal’.  Though I was about to point out the provisions of the Constitution which stressed on equality before law, what actually I blurted out was, “Sir, that is the exclusive prerogative of God. I do not think humans should usurp it”. I said. This was something unexpected even by me.  The Official was startled. He looked up from the file he was perusing even while speaking to us, put down the pen and said, “ I am sorry, I withdraw my statement”.  His reaction was even more unexpected.  Instead of becoming angry, he had suddenly realized the enormity of his statement.

          Whenever I remember this episode, I am reminded of the parable in the Bible where workers come to a farm from morning to evening at different times of the day and at the time of leaving they are all given their wages for the day.  The one who came last is given an amount and the same amount is given to the one who came first also, prompting the one who came first to ask, how when he came early and toiled for more hours he was paid only what was paid to a person who came much later and worked for a much lesser time.  The owner of the farm tells him, ‘look only into what has been given to you, not into what was given to others’.

          This parable has been a bone of contention for those who believe in the theory of equality and particularly the Communists who feel that every one ought to be paid as per their contribution.

          Capitalists have however refused to accept the concept of such equality on grounds that the quality of work cannot be quantified as per the time taken to perform alone and also that it is the exclusive prerogative of the ‘owner’ to determine what should be given to whom.

          The parable in the Bible however is not related to material equality.  It is to be understood in the context of spiritual excellence.  When someone reaches the goal, it is immaterial whether he was first or last. It is this concept that is emphasized in the Bhagavatha story of Ajamila also.

          From the story of Ajamila one would feel that it is enough if he thinks of God at the time of death, for in the Bhagavat Gita it is said that one attains what one thinks at the time of death. 

(8.6: Whatever one remembers upon giving up the body at the time of death, O son of Kunti, one attains that state, being always absorbed in such contemplation.)

          However, it has been emphasized by the realized that it is not as easy as that.  At the time of death, only that desire which is predominant in mind would arise, they say.