Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation believed in the principle of non-violence (Ahimsa). That is why he launched the Non-Cooperation Movement against the British even after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
We are living in the 21st century, and India is said to be the largest democracy in the world. We recently celebrated our 71st Republic day. Even after 72 years of independence, our society still reeks of casteism, sexism, discrimination and patriarchy.
Women in our country have always been oppressed, harassed and “owned” by the men in their lives. It took years of struggle for women to fight for their own rights. They have been made to feel as if they are inferior to their male counterparts.
This is not the same India that Mahatma Gandhi and many other freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for. Our country has turned violent. Cases of domestic violence have risen over the past many years. The reason for domestic violence can be different for different people. One of the common reasons is alcoholic husbands abusing their wives.
Even students nowadays are not safe in their universities. They are being targeted and attacked for raising their voice against discriminatory and unjust laws. Take the example of the recent Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. Protests against this new Act are occurring countrywide as the government remains defiant. On 15th December 2019, students of Jamia Milia Islamia were peacefully protesting against this new law. But suddenly, in the evening, they were attacked by the police as if the students were criminals involved in anti-national activities. Since we are living in a “so-called” democracy, it is our fundamental right to protest peacefully. Students were attacked; the university was ransacked, and the library destroyed. Some of the students were even shot at. One of the students who were attacked even lost sight in one eye.
This is not the India that Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of!