Lack of Values at All Levels

The country is indeed passing through a tough time. Rampant corruption, criminality, immorality, inhumanity and lack of commitment to one’s duty have become order of the day in every walk of life. Thereby, we failed to eradicate the problems of poverty, hunger, disparity, health care, illiteracy from the country. It is rightly said that poverty is in direct proportion to the level of corruption of a country. One of the deplorable instances and problems facing the country is utter failure of the elected representatives to screw non-performing executives who is all the time busy toeing the line of the corrupt political masters. Judiciary takes years to dispose cases, thanks to huge pendency. Police complicates cases to extort money not only from the accused but also from the victims due to which they were described by a Supreme Court Judge as an organized gang of uniformed robbers committing broad day-light robberies. Corruption has not only made deep inroads into our social and political system but polluted our mindset and thought process. The unplanned urbanization has choked the very sinews of life. On the other hand, development of the rural areas as viable economic zones has been ignored forcing the vast multitudes of rural people to shift to urban areas for livelihood.

If we analyze the post-Independence scenario, we shall find that, barring Sardar Patel, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Lal Bahadur Shastri, the political class is largely responsible for the downslide in our socio-political system. Most of the post-Independence leaders have been overtly or covertly supporting corruption for immediate gains and had no great vision or farsightedness of a true statesman for a strong and vibrant Independent India. This is a very shameful state of affairs to say the least. Soon after Independence, Dr. Ambedkar had rightly said that earlier we were blaming the British rulers for all our ills but now if we are not able to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and discrimination and other evils from the country, nobody except us will be responsible for this mess. Unfortunately we continued with the British model of governance meant for slaves including the divide and rule policy, education system based on Macaulay’s theory of producing clerks to continue the subjugation of the great people of India and the highly oppressive anti-people Police Force.

We did not develop any significant national visionary and innovative policies and plans for a young, vibrant and strong India. Instead, the political elite became busy in filling their own coffers ignoring the interests of the vast multitudes of poor people of our country leading to so many social evils in the society. In the present scenario, the fault is not of the people but of the political elite for its out-dated system inherited largely from the slavery-centered British model. The greatness of the Indian people, effectiveness of its ancient education system, richness, prosperity, high moral, cultural and spiritual values have been acknowledged even by our adversaries including Lord Macaulay to suggest ways and means to subject India and make it a dominated slave nation. An excerpt from the address of Lord Macaulay before the British Parliament on 2.2.1835, reproduced below, speaks for itself:

Lord Macaulay’s Address to the British Parliament on 2.2.1835-

“I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.”

- Lord Macaulay’s Address to the British Parliament on 2.2.1835.

“I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.”

- Lord Macaulay’s Address to the British Parliament on 2.2.1835.

Even Chinese traveller, Megasthanese, had a similar view about the honesty and prosperity of the political class and the people in general of a bygone era. When Megasthanese, during his visit to India, made a social call on Chanakya, the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya, and entered the chamber of the Prime Minister, Chanakya put off one lamp and put on the other. When Megasthanese asked the reason for the same, Chanakya told him that the lamp he had put off was official and was being used for State duty and when he was talking to Megasthanese for a private meeting, he must use his personal lamp.

The Britishers successfully destroyed our culture, moral values, and our time-tested ancient education system including rich Sanskrit language under their grandiose plan devised by Lord Macaulay to subjugate us. They made India slave and treated us like dogs by displaying signboards outside the clubs in India that Indians and dogs were not allowed. Anyway, these may be their norms of humanity, civilization and cultural heritage.Maybe, any national whose policy is to enslave and subjugate others will adopt similar methods. Despite our successful models of administration, overall prosperity of the people, cultural, moral and spiritual heritage and time-tested ancient education system of a bygone era, we failed because we were not eternally vigilant to protect our liberty and values from the onslaught of the unscrupulous invaders and tormentors. Now let us see what are the salient features of the policies and values and the ancient education system which brought about prosperity, self esteem and people of high caliber which are recognized even by our adversaries. These values have been laid down for regulating the worldly affairs of the people. These values are meant to preserve one. If you transgress these values, these will kill you. If you protect these values, it will protect you. These values a collection of universal principles without which there would be no existence of this creation.These laws are in accordance with the laws of Nature and creation and hence it leads us towards evolution, development and happiness. Briefly these values are categorized below and are most relevant in the present context of chaos, social and moral holocaust.

1. Ethical values- These are certain ethical universal values transcending creed, country, age. These are non-violence, truth, non-stealing, continence and non-coveting. It will bring chaos, violence, untruth, stealing in individuals and society as a whole. Basically, these are rules of morality for society and the individuals which if not obeyed will bring chaos, violence, untruth, stealing, dissipation and covetousness.

2. Values for self-purification –These are rules of conduct for individual discipline like integrity, austerity, introspection of one’s actions and abjuring greed Once we adopt the above-mentioned values at personal and social level, we shall not only be able to control the present chaotic situation but we shall soon be at the top of the world and there will be all round peace and prosperity. Sooner or later, we will have to adopt these values.