SATYAMEVA JAYATE - Shailesh Gandhi
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change a nation; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
-Dr. Margaret Mead |
A glimpse of some of our news:
 Two witnesses interrogated for Satyendra's murder die of poisoning.
Sarita and Mahesh killed.
Doctors trade in kidneys
PMs nephew pushed out of train for stopping eve-teasers.
Sixteen years after the Deorala case, all accused discharged for lack of evidence.
Judge issues warrants for arrest of the President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
for a bribe of Rs.40000/-.
Citizens now want to say "ENOUGH". We will not tolerate dishonesty and corruption anymore. Our own complicity and apathy create conditions for a corrupt and unethical society. Civil society will castigate the corrupt and dishonest acts, instead of being meek bystanders.
Satymeva Jayate has been inspired by the martyrdom of Satyendra Dubey. He is not the first Indian to have become a martyr for the cause of honesty. However it has triggered a great revulsion towards dishonesty and corruption in society. Like Mangal Pandey, maybe Satyendra will catalyse a people's movement of epic proportions.
We have become a society, which rewards the dishonest and penalizes the honest. All sections of elite appear to feel they are trapped in a 'System' and a society from which there is no deliverance. Most of them accept and adopt dishonesty in a wide variety of situations. There appears to be a feeling of "learned helplessness" in most of us. The elite complain about the prevalent dishonesty and corruption. However, most of them have improved their own living conditions very well inspite of this;- or benefiting from this?
This is a plea for a more honest India. We can become a better country only when we as individuals decide to be more honest. Corruption is a disease, which is corroding our National moral ethic because of our dishonesty. We can change this. The people of India resolve that Satya is our Dharma. We will apply the test of legality to discriminate between right and wrong. Even if we disagree with a law, we will work towards changing it, but will not accept thwarting it. This change, this catharsis, can happen if leaders in all areas -- religion, business, bureaucrats, academics, and political take an active part in this process. If some of our leaders do not change, We The People will; and they will follow. Let us all make a concerted effort in 2004 for an honest India.
This is a Common Man's effort to exercise the power of "ONE". You can join today,- NOW. Take this booklet and draw inspiration from atleast something written in it.
Copy it and give it to friends. If you make 10 copies by Xerox, it will not cost more than 100 rupees. Send at least some copies to cities other than your own. Translate it and distribute it. If you like, use only a part of this booklet and add your own articles, but do keep this going. We can start an avalanche.
The answer lies in the famous words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn:
''It is infinitely difficult to begin when mere words must move a block of inert matter. But there is no other way if none of the material strength is on your side. And a shout in the mountains has been known to start an avalanche...
Shailesh Gandhi
February,
2004
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