Non-violence is Mightier Than Violence

 Non-violence is Mightier Than Violence

By Fr. Anand Muttungal

The thirteen days’ long non-violent protest lead by Anna Hazare has proved again that non-violence has an upper hand against violence. Non-violence can be understood in two ways; first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle and the second one is the behaviour of people using non-violent action to attain a systematic transformation.   This general version of non-violence became a pragmatic principle with the application of this religious principle into freedom movement lead life by Mahatma Gandhi. He used non-violence as a means of struggle to achieve political and social change. The term civil resistance or disobedience has become synonymous with non-violent movements. The civil groups use it to challenge a particular power, force, policy or regime. 

 

All religious traditions propagate non-violence. Jainism and Buddhism has  contributed much to the concept of non-violence which included abolitionism, the practice of not eating animal flesh, spiritual practices of non-harm to all beings and caring for the rights of all beings. We find exclusive manifestation of non-violent principles in the Sermon on the Mount by Lord Jesus. He protested the existing socio-religious system in a peaceful way. His death and resurrection on the third day has qualified his teachings on non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi who was greatly influenced by the teachings of Christ and many religious traditions has introduced a pragmatic political sense to this spiritual concept of non-violence. Today it is called Gandhian concept of non-violence.

 

The first non-Indian to use Gandhian form of non-violence was Martin Luther King. He used to win civil rights for African Americans. César Chávez used non-violence in the 1960s to get the rights for farm workers in California.   The Czechoslovakian youths used non-violent protests in 1989 and called it "Velvet Revolution" which overthrew the Communist government. In 2002, Leymah Gbowee, a lady social worker, organized the Christian and Muslim women against Liberian civil war through non-violent prayer movement which brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. The latest of all is Anna Hazare’s fasting and non-violent protest.

 

The recently concluded thirteen day fast of Anna Hazare and whole lot of people following the guidance issued through the media by him is a sign of maturity of Indian people. It brought the parliament, political parties and civil society on to the same platform. It is true that Lokpal Bill is not a magic stick to stop corruption but the stir it created has declared a war against corruption. The happenings in the Parliament proved that India will not forefeet principles of democracy but the people’s demand is supreme in democracy. It was a rare blend of coordination between the Parliament and civil society in dealing with the demon of corruption.

 

Even though an ocean of people took part in the nationwide protest and fasting, no single incident of violence was reported. What surprised the nation was that the people after attending the offices, colleges and schools, joined the protest and in an unusual way the political parties called for non-violent protests, fundamental organizations used secular   slogans to support the movement, in short it was a grand feast of the old, young, children, men and women from all walk of life. It was the voice of a nation standing against corruption. 

 

This latest example of pragmatic use of non-violence has proved that violence falls apart in the might of non-violence. It must be a lesson to the religious and political fundamental organizations that violence has no justification in any way.   

News Courtesy:

Rev. Fr. Anand Muttungal, Bhopal

Photos Courtesy: Google


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