As a starter, it is harmful to involve students in politics. It is as good as destroying their future. But almost all the political parties do it. The minimum requirements for joining active politics should be at least 25 (when you have completed your studies and have a job) or 35 when there is some experience and maturity to understand life, especially the web of politics. Student movements almost always get hijacked by political parties with vested interests and backed by funds and forces whose purpose is very different from what is proclaimed. These forces, – especially politics and money – raise slogans and sentiments with the sole idea of lust for power and furthering a dangerous agenda of dark and diabolic forces whose sole purpose is disintegration. It is a whole world of falsehood where entering with the bravado of an Abhimanyu is to have the future destroyed. One should first grow in expertise, serve the people whom one wants to stand for, understand the nation, its ethos and culture, be inwardly strong to resist every temptation before entering this most murky field.
Besides, how does one want to fight corruption? By dharna, protests, hunger strikes? Or by working patiently at the roots of corruption which lie in our nature, in greed, ambition, lust, by setting a highest standard and example in public life. In other words, one must first set a high example for the world to see, dedicate oneself to the commonest in the spirit of service and love, be impeccable in honesty. It is an invitation to climb high, to rise, rather than pull down the whole nation towards disintegration. It is far more easy to destroy but far more difficult to be constructive, to be the example the world needs.
The Mother summarised it beautifully.
‘We do not fight against any creed, any religion.
We do not fight against any form of government.
We do not fight against any social class.
We do not fight against any nation or civilisation.
We are fighting division, unconsciousness, ignorance, inertia and falsehood.
We are endeavouring to establish upon earth union, knowledge, consciousness, Truth, and we fight whatever opposes the advent of this new creation of Light, Peace, Truth and Love.’
(Ref. https://incarnateword.in/cwm/13/no-politics#p52)
Mankind is still far from this ideal. Sloganeering, marches, strikes and dharnas come easily. But the real remedy lies in changing oneself and thereby facilitate the cascade of change.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
