Bandey mein tha dum

This blog was the reason i ever wrote my last blog. We went to this movie "Lage raho munna bhai", and happened to land in McD's for a total disappointment.

So it was after a long time and with expectations of having fun, me, myself and my wife ventured out to watch this movie. After a long time i could actually say that i have watched a good movie. Its about a bhai who is inspired by Gandhi and his principles, leaves dadagiri and goes around doing gandhigiri. This movie also features Gandhi appearing in the background whenever the bhai thinks of him. A good movie with a great message.

Whenever Gandhi appears in the movie or whenever munna bhai is carrying out his gandhigiri a lyric is played throughout the movie. Which goes on "bandhey mein tha dum, vandemaataram".

Recently we had some discussions over Gandhi, many were along the path of

Does he deserve the kind of attention he was given?

He favoured Nehru which caused the division of India and Pakistan.

He has been selfish all the way...

He stole the concept of Complete Independence from Bhagath Singh...

we would have got independence long back if we did not follow his track...

However i was more interested in his principles.....

Satya(Truth), Ahimsa(Non Violence)

I really appreciate him for all that he had gone through, all the pain and suffering he had to undergo along the path he followed. I really appreciate him for sticking to his principles all the way.

But, i doubted if Ahimsa was the best weapon that could be used to achieve what he and all his followers achieved. Yes it worked well against British and we finally achieved Independence. What if it was not British we are fighting against, if it was somebody else, would ahimsa be still the best weapon.

What if we were ruled by Hitler and his Nazi army instead of the British empire, would ahimsa and non co-operation still work. I am sure Hitler and his army would not be interested in our co-operation or the lack of it. They would have eliminated everyone who stood in their way violent or non-violent.

Now we sit happily enjoying the fruits of Independence without even feeling the pinch of all the struggle and consider ourselves eligible to comment on the motives and principles of those who were actually there.

How many of us would stand against what is wrong, stand for the truth, take a bullet for what we believe in. It is easy for us to talk without being there, it is easy for me to doubt and analyse if Gandhi's principles would really work. I am sure Gandhi didnt have any Hitler to compare and analyse. He wouldnt even have a way of knowing if ahimsa would work against the British unless he practised it. So he practised ahimsa, satyagraha, stood his ground for what he believed in was right and never stumbled.

So i am very sure......

Bandhey mein tha dum.....

Vande Maataram.