Launch of Nonkilling India by Gandhi Darshan at New Delhi
On 18th December, 2019 a meeting of prominent Gandhians, academicians and young students with the purpose of launching the Nonkilling India movement and 1 crore nonviolent families was held at Gandhi Darshan, New Delhi. The meeting witnessed the presence of eminent dignitaries.
Prof. (Dr) Anoop Swarup, chairman of the Center for Global Nonkilling and founding Vice Chancellor of Jagran Lakecity University explained the concept of nonkilling explicitly. He described the precepts and principles of nonkilling and also introduced the Global Nonkilling Index which measures the types and rates of killing. He defined ‘affirmative nonkilling’ that is positive and structural such as promoting education, learning and advocacy against killing. He described the academic contributions by the Center for Global Nonkilling, where works on Nonkilling have been promoted in the disciplines of music, arts, engineering, mathematics, anthropology, psychology, linguistics, geography, media studies and political science. But now he states that after setting up the theoretical background time has come to implement it practically.
Dr. N. Radhakrishnan, founder of Indian Council and Gandhian studies spoke at length about the important issues concerning India. He elaborated how despite 2019 being the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi little was done by India to rediscover Gandhi. He highlighted how in the 1969, the year that marked the 100th anniversary of Gandhi, there was great upheaval in the nation. The government of India had invited Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as ‘Frontier Gandhi’ to pay homage. India was up in arms due to the Hindu-Muslim tensions. As a consequence, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan refused to pay tribute with flowers and rather offered his tears. He remarked to the people of India: “You have betrayed Gandhi“.
Dr Y.P. Ananda, former director of the National Museum and Chairman of the Railway Board, the special guest, also a Gandhian, spoke on Ahimsa. He emphasized upon the direct and structural form of violence and had posed a question whether nonkilling extends to structural violence also. He stated that inequity and social disturbance are the core cause that need to be addressed, focusing on education and health.
Dr. C.A. Gurudath, former Vice Chancellor, Rafal University, gave recommendation of translating the book ‘Give Nonkilling A Chance’ into different languages so as to popularize it. He also expressed his concern over changing the current educational system as it breeds competition which is not healthy for the society.
Prof. Ramesh Kumar, Professor at Delhi University spoke about the launch of the Shaanti Sena programme that was extremely successful. He recommended to co-ordinate with the UGC to launch Nonkilling program at different universities. He emphasized on the need to have a structured organization to reach everywhere.
Overall there were 26 participants in the meeting who also contributed to the deliberation and the thought process. As a conclusion of this brainstorming session it was observed that nonviolent and nonkilling education for affirmative nonkilling and positive peace is the way forward to build such institutions and systems. This idea needs to be delivered and Gandhian ethics can help in the formulation of moral education.
