Dear Bapu,
With respect and well wishes.
It has been more than sixty years now, since you ceased to tread the path of this world, and truthfully speaking, I am happy for you. Why I say so is because the thought of a man – who gave his entire life striving to bring the audacious Indians into a life of saneness – living in today’s world of irrationality, sends shivers down my spine.
Let me talk about your prime teaching of non-violence here. You laid a path of non-violence to be followed by rebels, which set the British off our land. But I see today a glorification of violence by those who call themselves your followers. Wearing khaki kurtis and tiny topis, the ministers of our nation dictate not only the poor but the well-off as well in the name of Gandhigiri.
Bowing down low, almost to touch your forehead to their feet is a common scene in towns and villages. If you do not do that, your livelihood is under a threat. After all, power rises like opium in the minds of these “authorities”. Non-violence is not only the absence of physical abuse, but mental and verbal as well; and this is what your so-called followers fail to understand.
Well good for you, you did not have television in those days. But if you had one, you would have realised in time that your efforts would be fruitless. Your sole concern was to set the path of righteousness for the coming generations. But I highly doubt that for kids exposed to “Tom & Jerry” cartoons. How would they learn anything about non-violence watching a series which have practically a dozen head blows in half a minute? Eve teasing and objectification of women is not far behind. It doesn’t make sense for five-year-old Shin-Chan to ogle at young girls, nor the faceless secretary of the mayor in “Powerpuff Girls” who has a size-zero waist and a scarlet dress. The kids of your nation admire these cartoons at the age when school teachers teach them the principles of truth, righteousness and non-violence by pulling their ears.
The international platforms on which you talked about our glorified India, on those same platforms today your Indians “glorify” themselves with movies like “Dabangg” and “Bodygaurd”. Audiences go jumping off their seats with every stunt performed on the silver screen. The honour of making films on your hard life is also a task which outsiders have taken so willingly.
You would call this current situation a change of times, blindness for westernization or even childishness of your children; I call this – duplicity.
We Indians want to call you the “Father of our Nation”, but do not want to follow your footsteps. The truth is Bapu, and I don’t mean to hurt you, but your name today is no more than a tool of propaganda for politicians, and a means of celebrating a holiday for youngsters.
If you are still looking upon us with hopeful eyes that one day you would find your “Incredible India”, I request you to stop right there because you are never going to find one.
May your soul rest in peace, which again is too much to ask for.
Warm Regards,
Srishti Goel
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