Fight Fire With Fire??

Originally written sometime in Jan 2009

Ahimsa.A word that all over the world today is associated with one man, Mahatma Gandhi ..the father of our nation.But in times like these;is ahimsa even a practical concept??

If you've reached this far,you've probably started criticising me...'Who's this guy to question the ideals of the man who freed our country from tyranny and opression???'The answer is simple...im one of the billions of humans who just pray for peace.

On 26th November 2008,Indians all over the world watched in horror as one of the jewels of the great city of mumbai crumbled.A sad day in Indian history: The day the so called "revolutionaries" decided to bring the terror to india.It was then that the war for peace truly began.

Terrorism isn't a new concept.It's been around for decades.The 9/11 attacks in the US of A was the beginning of the era of global terror,when organizations of power hungry madmen decided to try and take over the world.

We all know that terrorism must be stopped.We cant just try to ignore the fac that terrorists have started their reign of terror in India as well.But how do we tackle this problem. The US of A decided to literally fight it out.The Iraq war was just one example.

But how will India tackle this problem.Granted: Im no soldier or politician so neither am i trying to fight a battle out myself nor am i one who is privy to what goes on in the government.Im just an Indian citizen whose heart goes out to the victims of the terror attacks in Inndia.Im one of the billion citizens who wants to know what the new Central government intends to do about this problem.

Are we going to go out with our guns blazing shouting war cries,or are we going to continue with gandhi ji's policy of non violence.

But the question is...which is the right way.

We finally get stuck in this paradox.Do we walk with our heads held high into the hail of bullets proclaiming ahimsa;or do we pick up a gun and fight to keep our mortal lives??

It's like reaching a fork in the road.there are 2 different paths which theoretically lead to the same result.But these paths can never meet.We can choose only one path...and there are no second chances.We just cannot fail.Our ultimate aim is peace and it's in our best interests to take the path that will get us there faster.

But how do we do it? Do we follow the ideal 'Fight fire with fire'?And if we do so,can we fight only for peace and not for revenge.If we let these thoughts of anger and revenge enter our minds do we still remain morally just or are we now a new form of evil?

Gandhi ji believed in non violence and his ideals united a nation and finally brought us independence.But have his ideals stood the test of time??Will they have the same effect on the terrorists that they had had on the British?Can they bring us peace again??Or will this just aggravate the situation.Evey religious book preaches non violence in one way or the other.So if we pick up arms doesnt it make us go against the ideals that were handed down by our ancestors millenia ago???

In today's world,violence has become the creed.Serial blasts,public displays of violence and street shootouts have almost become commom.However,what always remains is the pain and anger in our hearts.the pity and sorrow that we feel for the victims and their loved ones can never die out.Everytime i read about these horrors and look at pictures of the victims, a thought comes to mind "This could have been me."

How much longer must we suffer like this?How do we make it end?

That sadly, is a question i cannot answer...... I hope you can.