Since childhood and throughout my educational journey, I have celebrated our country’s foundational theology, “Unity in Diversity.”
Yes, India is considered to be the most versatile country on this planet, and being an Indian, we once used to brag about this.
With six major religions, over 120 languages, 270 mother tongues, over 730 ethnic groups, over 1000 festivals, and countless cultural inheritances all included in a territory of 3.287 million square kilometers, and over 1.4 billion people in a single frame, we can only expect a harmonious environment in every part of its territory, considering the long-standing influence of Indian culture on this planet.
The opaque social system in India has always been under suspicion, because our social habits are more suspect than anything else, including the absurd social division based on profession cited in the Vedas.
We have embraced diversity since the Vedic age.
Despite many scientific and technological advances, we try to keep up.
In our quest for development, we are contending serious problems due to multi-level inclusion.
The caste system of the Vedic era is still in practice, although we are well aware of the fact this arrangement was very absurd even then and is now used as a tool to oppress other people.
Surprisingly, no other nation has a social system that prohibits a section of its society from participating in social activities, let alone education. This is a significant issue.
Such inhuman exclusion gives rise to concepts of hatred, anger, inequality, abuse, injustice, poverty, poor sanitation, illiteracy, gender inequality, and many of its other by-products, which provoke strong reactions at every level in society.
India- Much ado about everything
India is such a bizarre place where we are taught to treat each of us as our brethren, yet we have been practicing social omission for ages.
Every component of a well-built system is important for its longevity and sustainability. But in India, although everyone plays an active role in the development processes, ultimately everyone is treated differently based on their caste, gender religion, and sometimes region.
Is this not contrary to what is taught in our holy books?
Every job is essential in society, whether carpentry or plumbing, electrician or vegetable vendor, domestic servant or teacher, scientist or engineer, doctor or auto driver, pilot or bank employee, factory worker or tailor.
Everything is necessary for the health of society, so why should one inhumanely discriminate against others because of quotes from our ancient scriptures written thousands of years ago?
The cruel world of hatred
For a long time, I have wanted to express my thoughts on the “Impact of Hatred in and Around Us.” However, since it is a sensitive topic, I hesitated to do so.
Recent incidents of communal unrest in many places propelled me to write on this topic.
I know a septuagenarian retired bank officer with a vast collection of books including a precious copy of Valmiki Ramayan. The person in person is full of negative views about the other community. The irony is that his medical practitioner belongs to the group he hates.
His mind is so full of hatred that he implies the same attitude anywhere.
It was not as if he was the same as he is now. He used to be a jolly man with a good sense of humor and a penchant for his bank-related work.
Who conspired to turn a happy-go-lucky man into a hater?
- The answer is politics, and more precisely our politicians and sometimes the rich of the region who take all the wrong paths to gain and maintain their power.
- The answer is a few Industrialists who want their desired land for their product manufacturing units.
- The answer is so-called spiritual leaders who don’t have anything as per the spirituality yet they market themselves as the savior of religion.
- The answer is the powerful governmental officers who go all their way out under the influence of power.
- The answer is the continuous evil lies that are intentionally coming to us via fake news and fake WhatsApp forwards.
- The answer is the greed of some influential people who keep an eye on the land or properties of others and allegedly instigate some communal feuds to grab their property.
- The answer is that business rivalry is taking a communal turn and affecting other businesses.
Rebuilding trust
Hate is such a negative emotion that no one admits his folly in following it until he becomes a victim of the same tactics.
The loud DJ in front of others’ religious places is just an act to incite communal tension. But the problem is that the public is being used and fooled by the politicians who see it as a tool to capture power. If they were honest enough, they would have arranged basic amenities for the general public instead of planning to disturb societal harmony.
We all need an equitable environment with proper food, potable water, respectable earnings, good infrastructure, and a safe environment for women, children, and the underprivileged. We need a habitat where there is no fighting among citizens, and no hatred among any community, and there should be a constructive environment despite diverse backgrounds.
Love and affection are not easy to practice, as we often find ourselves swayed by negative thoughts more than positive ones. It’s in our nature to be attracted to negative aspects much quicker than we can choose to focus on the good.
The conspiracy theory regarding the spread of hatred in society is real. Peace is always accompanied by positive progress, and those who try to hinder pragmatic development for petty gains are easily disturbed by this.
They try their best to spread covert propaganda to avoid constructive consequences.
It is our responsibility to identify such hidden wolves to save humanity.
It is not that our ancestors ever thought that one day we would proceed to destroy our planet out of rivalry, enmity, and jealousy.
conclusion
Hatred is a fleeting emotion, burning brightly but consuming itself quickly. Yet, if left unchecked, this destructive force can spread like wildfire, threatening the very fabric of society.
If we do not take decisive action soon, a great storm of hatred will rise with such intensity that it will sweep away everything we hold dear – our relationships, communities, and hopes for a better future.
In the aftermath, we will be left to confront the desolation, haunted by the choices we didn’t make and the opportunities we let slip away, forced to grapple with nothing but our regrets and the ruins of what could have been.
We must pause for a moment, carefully reassess our goals and aspirations for the future, and decide to eliminate harmful influences such as hatred from our lives.
By taking a moment to reconsider our values and priorities, we can actively work towards building a kinder and more understanding world. Embracing this journey will enrich our lives and positively impact those around us, creating a ripple effect of compassion.
