Decolonization of mind: freedom from mental slavery
On sixty third birthday of our independence, how do we decide what will be the pointers for future search for authentic discourse on the kind of development Indian society will legitimise. If we look at the symbols by which various organs of state measure their autonomy and distinctiveness, we realize that decolonization o f mind is indeed a viable project, even today, probably more today.
If we do not learn from village panchayat in Madhya Pradesh in which the office bearers decided to hold their periodic meetings in different wards of the village so that problems of those wards occupy central attention of the council that day. The possibility of ignoring certain genuine needs of people for years may not arise. If union cabinet were to meet in Srinagar or arku valley or bastar or puruliya, it might pose security challenge to the establishment, but interaction with local communities will also help them understand that only a small number of people actually believe in violent means of resolving problems. Majority wants to talk, listen and dialogue and understand the reasons for persistent indifference of the state to their travails. They want to understand why mining companies in their region prosper but do not share any of it with local needs. And why the state thinks that this is legitimate. The concept of ‘Land Army” by K A Munshi may not be recalled but at least ‘The gospel of dirty hand’ should be!
There are several other symbols of mediocrity and colonization of minds: Let me recall six qualities of a statesman/activist/intellectual which will help in creating a true renaissance in Indian thought and action: A) ability to contradict oneself without feeling ashamed of fallibility of one’s position. After all, who has ever learned any thing valuable in life without discrediting revered thought? B) willingness to realize that wisdom does not come only through democracy, but respecting dissent and listening to minority voices in different fields. I would never agree with what Lord Rama did when a commoner washerman questioned chastity of mother Sita, but the principle that a single voice of dissent needed to be heard, that accountability is not determined through power, authority and numbers, was an interesting one. C) I disagree with most of the pronouncements of Home Minister but I think he did create a new idiom when he said, every body had failed the victims of Bhopal Tragedy for such a long time. The point is to go beyond sectarian approach to a problem and become universalistic, regardless of what may seem politically correct at that moment. D) use local widespread symbols of communication new values of tolerance, fairness and respect for processes. I saw a Snake and Ladder game developed in Gandhinagar which conveys beautifully how snake will eat a person if they violated the fundamentals of ethical group based decision making. Choice of such symbols may help reach much farther and deeper to invoke fundamental roots of equanimity that such games taught without missing the message embedded in different steps. E) Gandhi said, despise the wrong and not the wrong doer. Magnanimity in public discourse differentiates the great from very good. And F) the ability to realise that there is no unskilled person in this world ( notwithstanding the NREGA which indicts this simple truth of our society though not all are good in every thing and not for all skills, demand or market may exist). Creating demand for what we value, love and respect thus becomes a responsibility and not just a regret of a leader.
Anil K Gupta
