Swaraj really means self-control. Only he is capable of self-control who observes the rules of morality, does not cheat or give up truth, and does his duty to his parents, wife and children, servants and neighbours. Such a man is in enjoyment of Swaraj, no matter where he lives. A State enjoys Swaraj if it can boast of a large number of such good citizens.–– Mahatma Gandhi, Ruskin UNTO THIS LAST – A paraphrase, Navajeevan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, P 32.
We have entered into lockdown 3.0. After forty days, we have just 130 districts in the red zone which is around 18 per cent while the 284 districts are in the orange zone and the 319 districts in the green zone, constituting 39 per cent and 43 per cent of the total districts in the country. Our fatality rate is also around 3 per cent of the total infected, which is less than in many developed countries. The doomsday predictors for Bharat, with millions of death and civil war on the roads, have already proved wrong. Is it good enough? What are the reasons that we defined the logic of so-called experts? And what is the way forward? The National address by Sarsanghachalak Monah Bhagwat of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh gives us some direction to get correct answers to these questions.
The fight against Corona is far from over. In the present red zone, we have most of the metropolitan cities and 33 per cent of the total population. With the beginning of economic activities in the green and orange zone, and a gigantic exercise of allowing stranded labourers to move to their hometowns would increase the probability of the number of infections. In Mumbai and Delhi, the rate of growth of cases and death are worrisome. So we need to carry on this fight collectively and with a positive attitude.
We have been successful in containing the Virus to a large extent as our Government decisions are pro-active, our society, by and large, is collaborative and individual material needs are still very restrictive. The spiritual bent of mind of our society naturally helps the needy. The crisis like Corona takes us more to the meditation and dedication. Besides the Government taking care of the vulnerable sections in the best possible manner, voluntary organisations are creating social systems to deliver goods and services. Even poorest of the poor are sensitive towards others, and this inherent strength is the biggest reason for our success.
The life after lockdown is not going to be the same for sure. Though many would like people to die but globalisation to survive, the demand-supply logic of global capitalism will not be the same and nor the failed revolutionary tactics of communism. The internal contradictions in the Islamic world are keeping it busy with the super-spreaders like Tablighi Jamaat. In such a scenario, the post-Chinese Corona Virus world is bount to provide an excellent opportunity for a country like Bharat.
After selfless service with care and compassion and courageous fight for the final victory, what we will need is a conviction to rectify the wrongs that are fundamentally ingrained in the system. The intellectual minds will have to think out of the box and reset their minds for the same. For some time, this will be a parallel and painful path. RSS Sarsanghachalak has given some Sutras or pointers to reinvent the principles of Swadeshi and Swavalamban for the post-Corona world. If we dare to reinvent Swadeshi in combination with innovation, research and quality parameters, it is the Bharatiya way that will define the nature of future world order. We should strive for such an order which will be global in perspective, rooted in local resources and driven by national requirements not just for Bharat but for all the countries.
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