Often, I ask my workshop participants
to share their inspirational icons. From the historical spectrum of Indian
personalities, the preferred heroes range from Bhagat Singh to Vivekanand,
Shivaji to Laxmibai. On the other hand, derision is reserved for Gandhi and
Ambedkar. The strong opinions are often hollow. They are frequently formed
without knowing the reality of the personality.
The
impression was reconfirmed yesterday on social networking sites, on the occasion
to remember the day of the hanging of the martyrs on 23 March 1931. Many
saluted the courage and dedication of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. However,
all were not expressing emotions based on sufficient knowledge. Some were just
declaring the romanticised image in their minds.
There
were those whose assertion of the greatness of Bhagat Singh was based on arguments
that scorned Gandhi. And it was obvious that some
had neither read Gandhi nor Bhagat Singh. They were parroting stereotypes of
heroes and villains created by prejudiced minds. Strong emotions of superficial
love or deep hatred were formed without knowing enough about the persons.
All this seems
strange when Bhagat Singh is glorified without reading his writings. He was a
writer who is known only as a fighter. Those who read Bhagat Singh can connect
with his progressive views for rationalism and humanism. In fact, some of his
fans would be surprised to read the revolutionary views of someone who died at
the age of 23.
To know really about
inspirational personalities, we need to know more and more about them. Many of
them have penned their own views. There are historians and commentators who
have written about them. We need to read and sift through the entire spectrum,
of views and actions of that personality, before we unite multiple facts to
impact our opinion. That is when the likes of Bhagat Singh will be less of imagery
and more of inspiration.
The
image in our mind of anyone is never truly real...
Till we ‘unite to impact’ information
that is factual!
- Pravin K. Sabnis
Goa, India.
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