Dear Readers,
As a regular reader of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, you would have noticed that I'm a staunch supporter of the British monarchy and especially respect Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II as an outstanding head of state. It's not for nothing that she is the longest serving head of state in the world today. Through various challenges, faced by UK for over six decades she has shown tremendous depth of character. Her utterances and actions make one proud to be living under her reign.
In 1979 there was a rise of right-wing groups in England like the National Front. Such political groups with Nazi tendencies were on the ascendency. However, in her Christmas message, in less than one minute, Her Majesty upheld British values, traditions, inclusiveness, and diversity, thus breaking the bubble of white extremist groups.
On another level, Her Majesty has seen several ups and downs, as witnessed in the last Christmas message when she alluded to “a bumpy road”. Heaven help any head of a family when a sister, child or grandchild has to face so many challenges. More recently, in the episode involving Harry and Meghan, it was nothing but the wisdom and tolerance of a great grandmother that created an acceptable way out. I am sure you will agree that we are fortunate to live in this great country of ours.
Reclaiming Sovereignty with Humility
Now, about reclaiming sovereignty, especially as claimed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, and other spokespersons who are on the ascendency thanks to the 80 vote-majority in the House of Commons, I'm really concerned, and honestly, a bit worried too. All I have to say to the PM and Co. is, please don't promise what you can't deliver. Remember the famous poem – The Patriot? People will carry you on their shoulders when the going is good. But when the tide recedes, the same people will not hesitate to oust you from power.
Currently, we are undergoing the birth pangs of the first phase of the agreed Brexit separation. We have miles to go and umpteen hurdles to surmount before the final divorce is signed, sealed and delivered. I, like many of you, would like our leaders to be in complete charge of the challenges ahead. They could perhaps take a leaf out of the words and deeds of the Indian leaders on August 15, 1947. The first prime minister of Independent India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's 'Tryst with Destiny' speech is a monumental part of global history.
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance,” the speech began. Everyone knows Pandit Nehru was Mahatma Gandhi's choice for leader. Without naming the Mahatma, Nehru mentioned him in a speech that rang aloud in the much fought-for sovereignty of the country.
He said, “The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.
“On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the father of our nation, who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lit up the darkness that surrounded us.”
While Nehru was paying rich tributes to the Mahatma, the man himself was not present in Delhi. Gandhi, at the time, was in Noakhali, where massive religious riots were taking place. Nehru also paid tributes to all those divided by the Partition. He said, “We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good and ill fortune alike.”
I may have confused you with the comparison. Why does the 'Tryst with Destiny' compare with Brexit? Let me explain.
It is the 3rd of February when I write this, so much has happened in such a short duration since 31 January. I read a report over the weekend which stated that the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had sent a message to UK representatives suggesting that they 'sit separately' from those from European nations at international events after Brexit happened on Friday. Such suggestions are juvenile and unbecoming of true leaders. Honestly, it upset me very much. Yes, Britain has officially separated from the European Union. But what lies ahead is an arduous and painful divorce that none of us are fully prepared for. At least not at the current moment.
It's just the beginning, not the end.
The full divorce that is to come, will be every bit painful, time-consuming, and stressful. It will require multiple trade negotiations, not just with EU members, but several other countries. Another thing that BoJo and his team need to realise is that the UK now stands alone. Going forward things are going to be very different from when it was a member of a 28-country club.
Another report that made me cringe was on Brexit “mastermind” Dominic Cummings, who was seen in tears following the exit. I have been hearing phrases like “take back control” and “get Brexit done” too often in the past few months, for my own comfort. It makes one wonder why British leaders are in such a great hurry. There is a wily Swahili proverb – Haraka Haraka Haina Baraka. It means too much haste never produced good results. After all, Rome wasn't built in one day.
Boris has failed to explain what hardships lie ahead. Ultimately, the buck stops not at Cummings' desk, but at BoJo's as he is the person at the helm for this latest campaign and he carries all the responsibilities in case something goes wrong, and the risks are many. BoJo has been an ambitious man since his youth, when he aspired to become a Prime Minister. If he executes things properly, he will go down in history as a successful PM, more or less in the lines of Winston Churchill. But a small slip up and he will forever be etched with a bad name.
French President Emmanuel Macron gave an inspiring message on January 31. He reminded the UK that it may be leaving the EU, but it will not be leaving Europe. UK has been a part of Europe for thousands of years. It may be separated by 22 miles of the English channel, but so what? BoJo has to consider the long term effects and the pros and cons.
Mixture of Optimism and Regret
British Chancellor Sajid Javid hit the headlines lately for announcing a taxation policy for entrepreneurs. He backtracked from his words just as quickly, raising several eyebrows in the process. When you are in an excited mood, you take several steps that create adverse reactions. Now is the time to wake up, smell the isolation, and plan accordingly. The task ahead is a mammoth and, and I sincerely hope the British government is up to it.
Soul of a Nation
Dear Readers,
Indian civilisation is over many thousand years old and has evolved around Sanatan Dharma. The modern Hindu dharma is only 1200 years old. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Amish Tripathi, a well-known author of hugely successful books. He has written a series of books beginning with one on Lord Ram.
Born in 1974, Tripathi is an IIM-Kolkata alumnus, and has worked as a banker for 15 years. He is presently the Director of Nehru Centre in London. He published his first book in 2015 which sold 5 million copies.
Sanatan Dharma has evolved as a way of life over a long period of time. It is more spiritual than religious. I would like to point out that the Vedas and Upanishads do not mention any God by name. They, instead, give importance to values and characters. Then came the Puranas, and the Ramayana – Valmiki Ramayana and then Tulsi Krit Ramayan, which is in Hindi Bhojpuri language. It speaks of Maryada Purushottam Rama, the deity who respects all and follows the highest standards of ethics.
Similarly, Lord Krishna is also revered by Hindus everywhere. Ramayana narrated the life and situations of Lord Rama in 3400 BCE. Krishna followed Rama, and his story is Mahabharat. Today, even in the top-most management institutes, Mahabharata is taught as a management guide. Much-quoted Gita is a part of Shrimad Bhagwat, which is a part of Mahabharata.
The cardinal principle of Sanatan Dharma is - One God, Many Names. Just last week, on the Martyr Day of Mahatma Gandhi, January 30, innumerable prayers were held all around the world to celebrate 150 years of the great human being. Two hymns were sung everywhere, including China, Japan, Middle East and elsewhere. One is 'Vaishnava Jan' – an amazing Gujarati prayer written by Narsinh Mehta 500 years ago in Junagadh. It discribes, 'the noble soul'. The second song is 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. The hymn has a beautiful sentence. “ Ishwar, Allah, Tero Naam.”
In most of Hindu temples, without any hesitation, this sentence is sung, chanted. That is the essence of Sanatan Dharma. It concerns all living and non-living things, but most importantly emphasises tolerance and respect. And tolerance is mutual. After all, one hand washes another. The books written by Amish Tripathi depicts the actual messages of age-old Sanatan values.
India is now a world-wide phenomenon. Not only because of the 31 million Indian-origin people living in many countries and contributing their utmost, but the soft power of India: its principles of non-violence, peaceful co-existence, yoga, music, vegetarianism, and respect for everything around. All this we see today exists primarily because at the dawn of Independence in 1947, leaders of India, led by Mahatma Gandhi, carved out an acceptable wager laying down the soul of the country.
The Citizenship Amendment Act is the highlight of both, Indian, and global press at the moment. I see Muslim, burka-wearing women protesting CAA, calling it a “cover for Hindu nationalism”. The ladies and the protesters appear to be as mislead as many thousands of others in India and abroad. There are genuinely no legal measures against any citizen of India in the CAA. It only talks about refugees from minority communities of the three mentioned countries. How can a Muslim be discriminated in an Islamic country?
Sovereignty of Parliament is sacrosanct
The CAA has passed through both- the Lower and Upper Houses of the Parliament. It is an act of the government within the Constitution and when such street protests are organised systematically to defy the law, it makes us wonder of many distant-minded human beings- both of Indian-origin and otherwise. Why such protests are being organised? Why the Parliament Sovereignty is being defied? Where will this lead to? This is undoubtedly a defiance of democratic norms.
What makes matters worse is the hulla gulla from Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party. They are damaging the very fabric of India. Protesters are bringing children to protests, this creates a kind of brainwashing that further provokes violence and creates hatred. Not to forget the ill will that has been created between Hindus and Muslims by this illogical and highly divisive agitations. Rahul Gandhi has publicly stated more than once that Godse and Modi have same mindset or mentality. How come the scions of the Nehru-Gandhi family utters such misleading, provoking and insulting words? I genuinely believe that India has remained a one-country one nation with a unique way of life and all the contradictions, it is a peace loving nation amidst all the diversity. It is up to us if we live in India or abroad or we have Indian-origin how we behave. We should be very careful with our behaviour.
Indian values have withstood the challenges for generations. Be it, invasions, colonialism, or wars. There is something about India that helps it survive and sustain human life and humanity.
