It is important for people to realise that if nothing practical is done to raise moral standards, there will be a deluge of tears and millions would suffer, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj Ji

We all are aware that India attained independence on August 15, 1947. During the freedom struggle, the toiling masses of India bared their chests to the volleys of bullets, shed their blood and sacrificed their property and family-life for the emancipation of Mother India. Many mothers lost their sons and wives lost their husbands as they fell under the severe blows of police-batons. In fact, it was all a tale of tears on a long and torturous journey to freedom. But even then, there was so much enthusiasm among the people for they believed that with the dawn of independence, the days of national humiliation, abject poverty and enormous suffering, caused by foreign domination, would be over and it would mark the beginning of an era of human dignity, social and economic justice, self-rule and self-reliance.

They had a vision of a united, strong, dynamic and prosperous India, which because of its great cultural heritage, would again rise to a place of high esteem among other nations of the world. Ultimately, this strong aspiration for a free India was fulfilled on the mid-night of August 15, 1947. But it was accompanied with the national trauma of Partition and the subsequent mass-migrations, communal riots and gory bloodshed.

People thought that this man-made calamity would soon be over and then there would be an era of Ram Rajya. But, not even a full year had passed when Gandhi, the proponent of and the crusader for Ram Rajya, was hit fatally by an assassin’s bullet. Even then people did not lose hope. They thought there will be other leaders who will fulfill Gandhi’s dream of Ram Rajya. They also thought now since the country has a Constitution and a system of democratic elections, there will be a government of the people, by the people and for the people. And, so, the days of misery inflicted by a foreign government would soon be over. But now we realise that these visions were mere mirages with no real water around to quench the people’s thirst for love, unity and peace. These days, when even hard-core criminals are fielded in some states as candidates during elections to the State or Central legislatures and parties adopt a no-holds-barred attitude to capture the levers of power, the people are really disappointed and disillusioned. They feel that the system does not ensure a government for the people. And, perhaps, there would be no end to their long travails and tribulations. Now, post election results and people’s verdict in a Western Indian state, it is for the parties and their leaders, who had been promising paradise on a platter, to fulfill their promises.

However, the situation that is seen on television and newspapers is something else. It is very unfortunate and painful for a voter to see such a scenario. The Simple reason for this is the falling level of moral values in our society. Hence, we should let every leader and the motley crowd read the writing on the wall. The first one is that, without universal love, brotherhood, compassion for the deprived and the weaker sections, integrity and purity of mind, nothing can be done for the well-being of the people. Secondly, for cultivating these qualities, universal spiritual knowledge and meditation are essential. Thirdly, it is important to realise that this is, perhaps, the last chance. If nothing practical is done to raise the moral standards of the people and the leaders even now, then there will really be a deluge of tears of the poor and the suffering millions, mixed with bloodshed by the fanatics, the criminals and the communalists. It is high time that we take these lessons, do some heart-searching, throw off the yoke of vices and change for the better.