Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was the first statesman to propose incorporation of a “nonviolence” component in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. But unfortunately, not one known statesman or politician, social thinker or planner backed him up. The proposal died down on its own.
As if by divine coincidence to prove Naveen was right, the enormity of social violence in countless forms are being increasingly experienced by all on the living planet. More and more people are feeling unsafe as insane acts violence are being brazenly committed by creatures of all ages, sex and creed. What sounded to most of the masses as something inane and trivial is now coming back as an acceptable philosophy made clear by Naveen, the least-known visionary. Violent creatures get down to lynching beef eaters and cow traders.
Horrific acts of murder by beating innocent people to death in full public view across Maharashtra, Assam and Tripura have been committed on the suspicion of ‘child thieving’, which does indeed indicate the Indian society has turned violent in the current times. Similarly all over the country, particularly the rural regions with half-baked chieftains heading ‘Khap Panchayats’ recommend killing of women suspected to be witches or marrying outside the caste or religion.
Crimes in Western and other developed nations do keep rising but on different fronts. Organised crimes by way of syndicate operations, mafia activity and gangster feuds apart from armed robbery and political killings are all rampant, but no one kills for eating something or marrying by personal choice. Rape and murder do happen too. But not the way beef eaters are slain and innocent men and women exterminated on absolutely baseless grounds of child robbery and practising witchcraft in India.
More recently, there is a great deal of anxiety expressed by celebrities, politicians and business people for being trolled on the social media and threatened by maniacs. Most unfortunately, there isn’t much that the victim can do. The perpetrators use technology to cause grievous harm. The cyber system is so accessible without hassles that criminal minds find it magic wand.
The society is getting more and more violent. Some old timers with exposure and experience say that open slaughter of animals and birds for the table is one if the gravest reasons why the children of today are horribly more violent than those born before the current millennium. And to top it all, the smart phone which in fact destroys all smart qualities of the human creatures of today. Kids and young people who are naturally more curious can tune into violent videogames and movie clips with just a simple touch of the mobile screen. It is nearly impossible to keep a watch over what youngsters do. It’s only by banning damaging social media sites and blocking many terrible ones that some remedy may be available. So, Naveen had only put his noble proposal with the sole view to making stringent laws to contain violence.
Violence is defined by the World Health Organisation as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation," although the group acknowledges that the inclusion of "the use of power" in its definition expands on the conventional understanding of the word. But in India as we get to know insane suspicion, intolerance, and, above all, lack of respect for culture and tradition have all resulted in an increasingly violent society.
The most glaring example of violence at the least expected location is the militant behaviour of some Jagannath Temple servitors, which fellow servitors never oppose or prevent. If there is a ‘fear element’ in conduct, there is bound to be some violence somewhere around.
The founding monarchs had chosen such devotees from all castes and communities as would serve devotees with love and caring without any expectation of making a personal gain. Accordingly, they were supported with means and resources including property to derive produce and wealth to be spent on devotees. Then, the number was limited and absolutely as per requirement. It must be known too well that only because the service was purely on a nonprofit and voluntary mode, they were permitted a sustenance from the temple sources.
Most unfortunately, God knows who made it, they were known as hereditary servitors: once born to the family, the male baby becomes a servitor and has a claim over the sustenance entitlement as promised ages ago when to serve the deities with love and devotion, hardly were people showing up. Now, the number of servitors performing critical rituals has hit more than 20,000. The turn of servitors as family representatives to perform rituals occurs once in weeks or months. So, there is clamour to hook innocent and gullible devotees and rob them whenever possible.
In the last few decades, frontline servitors have become more violent. Their conduct is like those of militants; their verbal, vocal and visual aspects of communication are terrible. Wide eyes, foul language and invasive behaviour at the slightest incidence of denial to go by their words are common sight today.
The 2016 Car Festival was witness to most reprehensible behaviour of some of the servitors on the last day of the event. The incumbent District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police managed them so well by being perfectly stern to fix the militant guys in the garb of servitors who are expected to be the softest and gentlest among all talking creatures. It is also true some of the Odisha politicians imagine by befriending some of the headless, militant servitors, they can become more popular and grab more votes.
Very recently, there was some conscious effort to probe into the treasure troves of the Jagannath Temple to ascertain what was really lying there as too many fairy tales were making rounds. But it could not be done due to non-availability of the keys to a lock or two.
A row erupted for nothing and much water flowed down as if the world had come crashing down. No one talked of tallying the valuables at an appropriate time and close the issue once for all. Similarly later, when the President of the country paid a visit, the ADC and the Civil liaison officer of the cosmetic head of the biggest democracy tutored the district administration like teachers whip sense into trotting kids, emphasising one single point on the agenda of safety and security: ‘No servitor or temple functionary should come closer than five feet of the President and the First lady to avoid embarrassment.’
Despite this strong and focused communication, some servitors bumped close and made life of the couple miserable. There was one ill-behaved fellow sporting sunglasses and looking like a cheap gangster who kept trying all along to come close to the dignitary couple in vain for being constantly pushed away by the President’s security personnel. Some say he is a politician who has never been fit to pass matriculation exams.
lastly, when the District Magistrate expressed displeasure about violation of the communication from the President’s security staff, some rogue media fellows converted ‘communication’ into a ‘letter’ and made big news. A fresh row erupted; and the thinking people at the top naturally got worried that embarrassment was being caused to the Government by the officials on ground. It must be noted well that the present DM and SP have done historic things.
The district is fairly criminal-free and the temple surrounding is much wider and cleaner. The Swargadwar is becoming larger. The most sacred river ‘Musa’ is being de-silted and dug deeper to become an amusement water body as well. The new temple chief administrator, a genuinely good soul, would do great by using the unique experience of the DM-SP duo in the last few years. The three can work wonders. Puri can beam a brighter smile only if officials join hands and do not fall prey to machinating politicians.
(The writer is a core member of Transparency International, Odisha)