The Rang de basanti phenomenon

I feel so lucky to be living through these times. India is currently on the cusp of change. We as a nation are awakening from the slumber of independence and security.

Everyday I see more and more evidence of people getting angry with the way things are, and actually taking action to change things. For the last few weeks the newspapers were first dominated with the outrage over the Jessica case, and not to mention the Candle lighting at India Gate in Delhi was probably like a scene right out of Rang De Basanti. This was then followed by the Medha Patekar fast and Amir Khan’s involvement in the Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Rang de basanti was a movie for these times, a movie which eloquently captures our inner desires to change things, to not just sit back and criticise. Yes, I think we are Indians are finally tiring of armchair criticism, we finally are willing to take action to change things. I think this first became evident with the defeat of the NDA which was an active action taken by the people. Then the Bihar verdict also showed the desire of people to change things. I am quite keenly anticipating the UP elections now.

Most of us look to the west and feel overwhelmed by the level of cleanliness in the system there, and the checks and balances that at least prevent small time frauds like the cash for questions scandal. Sure they have their big scandals, but I don’t think corruption permeates to such a level in their systems.

So how will we in India ever reach that level? Well, I think the process has started. America was as lawless as India say 50 or 100 years ago. So India will also reach that level of cleanliness. But I don’t think it will take us 50 to 100 hundred years. We are after all living in the internet world where 4 years equals one year. I personally think that by 2020 India will have reached upto the western standards of clean governance, and who knows – judging by the way American standards of democracy seem to be deteriorating, we might even surpass them.

The Great Gandhi

Yes, as unfashionable as it has become nowadays, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is one of my biggest heroes.

Gandhi is an enigmatic figure. As of today, there are probably more detractors of Gandhi than people who truly appreciate him. As far as politicians go, I think most of them just pay lip service to the great man.

So am I a Gandhian? - Honestly I don't know. I have no idea what that term means - Gandhian. But generally speaking, I don't like to constrain myself with these narrow ways of self identity.

Now most people say that Gandhi took many wrong decisions. Like not saving Bhagat Singh. Agreeing for the partition. Calling off the non-cooperation movement. etc. etc.

Well, I have no arguments against these accusations. I don't admire him for his political decisions. I admire him for his ability to transcend himself, and his needs and desires and give himself to a cause so great and daunting that it would have crushed any normal man's spirit. I admire him for his commitment and dedication towards the path of righteousness. For not compromising, for not taking any easy ways. For being willing to take physical abuse and not react in the same manner.

How many of us will be able to go the path of righteousness when confronted with physical violence? How many of us will be able to sacrifice things that are important to us for the sake of doing what is right? Let me give a personal example -

I was running a spoken English institute in Lajpat Nagar almost two years back. Our neighbour was a placement agency who had advertised in the paper for a walk in interview for a call centre. We decided to take advantage of the people coming for the interviews by distributing our pamphlets to them.

Soon enough our boy came back saying that the owner of that company had snatched our pamphlets and was refusing to let us distribute it to the people standing outside his office. He had no valid reasons to stop us, but I guess he felt that because he had paid for an advertisement, so we should not get benefit of those students for free. We personally went there and started distributing the pamphlets ourselves. He came out, we had a verbal match, and then he threatened to call in the gundas to fix us. And at this stage I must admit that I got scared. Though I managed to save my face before backing out, but I did back out. And I felt ashamed. And I recalled how Gandhi had not backed out of doing what he felt was right even in the face of physical assault and violence. He took the beating without any protest. And I backed out. And that my friends is the real reason why Gandhi is my hero. He did not give in to his fears and insecurities.

I am happy to say that after that the shame of that incident helped to overcome my fears somewhat. This time it was while I was running my institute in Greater Noida. This time it was some students who had joined but only attended 1-2 classes before they stopped coming. They came for a refund after almost 2 months. I was again on the right side – I tell everyone when they join that for a refund they must ask before their classes get over. But these boys were persistent. They soon got down to making threats. They made me talk to someone on the phone who again made veiled threats. But the shame of the previous incident had made me determined not to give in. And I lost my sleep for a few nights, and all my employees were also afraid and asked me to pay them and settle the mater. I didn’t, and in the end they left me alone. I wonder what I would have done if they actually came at with hockey sticks etc…?