In 1975, on 25 June 2018, a National Emergency was imposed in India. The stated justification was ‘internal disturbance’. The real reason was to clamp down on mass protests against the Government. Civil liberties were curbed. It remains a dark period of fear in India’s history.
There were many citizens as well as journalists who bravely resisted the excesses of the Emergency. There were others who succumbed to the scare and refrained from protest. But there were some who yielded and capitulated to the diktats. About such persons from the media, L K Advani famously said, ‘You crawled when asked to bend!’
So often, we crawl when asked to bend. Gandhi referred to fear as ‘creative imagination’. It looks larger than it is. We can cope with this fear by fight or flight. But when we flee fear, it follows fiercely. This leads to the resigned choice to crawl when asked to bend!
The ones who stand up to fear deserve appreciation. The ones who are deterred by the fear deserve understanding and consideration. But the ones, who crawl, even when asked to bend, need introspection. Those who are in a position to stand up but nevertheless grovel have no justification. They are part of the nexus.
Even today, we find persons who do not have the courage to stand up or just speak out against the wrongs. Our character is confirmed only in challenging conditions. Standing up for values and principles is important to ensure that the unacceptable does not go unchallenged. Otherwise we will crawl even when not asked to bend!
Heed, if we crawl when asked to bend…
We yield and aid the detrimental trend!
~ Pravin Sabnis
There were many citizens as well as journalists who bravely resisted the excesses of the Emergency. There were others who succumbed to the scare and refrained from protest. But there were some who yielded and capitulated to the diktats. About such persons from the media, L K Advani famously said, ‘You crawled when asked to bend!’
So often, we crawl when asked to bend. Gandhi referred to fear as ‘creative imagination’. It looks larger than it is. We can cope with this fear by fight or flight. But when we flee fear, it follows fiercely. This leads to the resigned choice to crawl when asked to bend!
The ones who stand up to fear deserve appreciation. The ones who are deterred by the fear deserve understanding and consideration. But the ones, who crawl, even when asked to bend, need introspection. Those who are in a position to stand up but nevertheless grovel have no justification. They are part of the nexus.
Even today, we find persons who do not have the courage to stand up or just speak out against the wrongs. Our character is confirmed only in challenging conditions. Standing up for values and principles is important to ensure that the unacceptable does not go unchallenged. Otherwise we will crawl even when not asked to bend!
Heed, if we crawl when asked to bend…
We yield and aid the detrimental trend!
~ Pravin Sabnis
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