IS VIOLENCE A SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS

An old saying that the time is the best doctor for any ailment, is still being often quoted and truly so. All wounds get healed in due course of time. Similarly, till the 19^th century, it was believed that the war is the only decider of problems between communities and countries. Particularly in ancient India, we find a deviation where a king, who, despite the victory, seeing massive casualties, virtually wept and vowed  not to go for war any more. Did the people after that draw any lesson to eschew violence? Buddha, Mahavira and saints elsewhere preached non-violence. Cults of these great men are still alive, but the culture of crime did not abate. I think that the French Revolution of 1789 was a landmark which introduced democracy and underscored liberty. The comment of a French philosopher of that time that ‘ the man was born free but everywhere he was in chains’, almost moved the society. The American War of Independence further gave impetus to such basic human feelings. Man had the taste of human rights. The world started thinking that the devastating wars would be a thing of past. But this hope also ended like a pipe dream. The days to come brought war mongers like Napoleon and the world had unforgettable bitter taste of two great wars claiming largest number of lives, ever witnessed in the past.

This evening when I was returning to my house after the office- hour ended, the eternal question once again struck me to find out any change in human attitude towards war. When I made the TV on, there were news of violence and death (besides natural calamities) in Syria, Turkey, Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan. The entire Arab world is in doldrums with killings galore. We have seen innumerable deaths in anti-Israeli activities since 1948. Afghanistan had interventions by USA, Russia (USSR then), Tlibans and Pakistan. Upheavals are going on unabated. The Left extremism called Naxalism in India has been going on since 1960s. The Khalistani elements created chaotic situation in Punjab for ten years. Pak supported militancy in J&K is going on since 1980s. The LTTE in Sri Lanka held the govt at ransom for several years and ultimately got decimated without any tangible gain.

The above brief account is enough to prove that basically being an animal, despite the 5,000 years of civilized existence, man has not eschewed bestiality. It is a fact that love and fight are born traits of all living beings. While in forest, both go on unabated, in human society they are not as rampant. We wish violence to be minimized to the lowest possible extent to prove that unlike other animals, we love peace and tranquility because we are civilized/cultured.