Recently I watched “Lage Raho Munnabhai” again. It is definitely one of the best Hindi movies of the last decade. I was amazed by how simply Munnabhai could solve people’s plights using a well-known method: “Gandhigiri”. In the movie, it is said that you might just as well remove Gandhi from every photo, road and note, however, what is more important is whether you keep his principles in your heart. Being an Indian, and watching rampant corruption sweep past the country, and then seeing the Lokpal-drama, in this note, I argue that it is not the rights or the rules which can solve the problem. Instead, it is fulfilling one’s responsiblity and creating a change within ourselves that is most important.
Gandhigiri, started by Mahatma Gandhi, refers to resolving situations without disrespecting other people and yet, not losing one’s ground. Of course Gandhigiri had to work in the movie, its a movie after all. Watching the gradual development of Lokpal around Anna Hazare and seeing a massive unrest within the country, I posed a question to my colleague. Can Gandhigiri work in real life? Can we solve something as complex as corruption using Gandhigiri? This sparked off a long conversation, which created an inspiration for this note.
If we look at our current society, corruption is extremely rampant. How to solve this problem? “Dont give bribes” is a common statement circulating in media. But, lets pose a few questions. Can we spend a whole day sweating and being unproductive just to get a driving license when there is an option to pay a few hundred rupees to get the work done in no time? Can we stop our businesses because we are not willing to pay bribes? Can we stop sending the kids to school, the same school which charges a huge sum of money in the name of donation? Can we give up getting our passports made when there is no option but to pay the guy some money for Chai-Paani? Maybe we might say yes to a few questions. But to all? No, I doubt it. Its hard to stop giving bribes, when everyone’s doing it; when it is the only way to survival.
So, what do we do? We write huge articles. We discuss. We talk. We fight. We protest. We riot. We complain. But, we continue to live and we continue to pay bribes. In the movie, an old man, inspired by Gandhigiri, walks up to a peon and starts giving away his spectacles, bag, watch and even his clothes in lieu for a bribe. This ashames the peon and he signs all the papers. Well.. it looks extremely entertaining to see in the movie, but can it work in real life? Its definitely doubtful.
Then, what is the more practical solution? One way, I feel, is to change from “Dont give bribes.” to “Dont take bribes.” When it comes to rights, we are first to jump. But when it comes to responsibility, we are less attentive. In the same way, not giving bribes seems like an easier way out. But, is it really practical. Not really. But yes, not taking bribes is practical. As it is within our control. Wherever we are, if we start doing that, imagine what can happen in future. Not accepting bribes will create an effect; the effect of people not giving bribes. People will stop giving bribes, only if there are people not willing to accept them. Hence, it boils down to the fundamental greed of human beings. Can we give up that innate desire to get easy money via corrupt means?
So, we might, in the short period, be forced to pay bribes, but let us at least stop taking them first, no matter what. I am reminded of a beautiful quote from Viktor Frankl’s life-changing book Man’s Search for Meaning. “No one has the right to do wrong, not even if wrong has been done to them.” Lets not take bribes, even if someone else wrongfully takes it from us. That is the right way around the problem rather than beating the bush- rioting, complaining, shouting etc. Nothing will change, even if govt. changes, officials go away, even if Lokpal rules are made compulsory. Nothing will change, unless we change fundamentally.
So as we see riots, as we see people going on fasts unto death, as we witness countless bandhs, as we see people cursing government with every offensive word they know; lets ask this question. Are we fundamentally changing ourselves? Are we creating a change within ourselves? Or is it just another hoopla to create rules; rules which are meant to be broken. We may think of creating hundreds of revolutions externally; but unless we have one revolution, nothing will change. That revolution is something more internal; something more fundamental. That revolution begins where we are at the moment. That revolution begins now.
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