Now is the time for all good men and women of the world to unite and resurrect religious and democratic freedoms, says OSWALD PEREIRA

As the world today celebrates Easter, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, it’s time for us all to resurrect all the goodness that God has bestowed upon us, which we may have lost in the rumble-tumble of daily living.

God created us as happy beings, but life’s ups and downs robbed us of the joy of living. We were sad when we were down and the nights were dark. We were happy when our luck was good and the stars shone brightly on us.

It would have been better if we took both joy and sorrow in the same spirit — both as gifts from God — just like Lord Krishna would want us to do. Being unruffled when tragedy strikes and not unduly ecstatic when good fortune comes into our life is the best formula for real happiness.

Oswald Pereira

Krishna’s formula for happiness in Christ’s Easter celebrations may also be a bright spark for uniting the world’s two major religions that the prophets of doom often try to divide for their nefarious political ends.

Unity and oneness of people and of all religions — like it was before politicians jumped in to spoil it all — should be resurrected, so that we live together happily. We need to resurrect the brotherhood of humankind, so that we can love and cherish each other, irrespective of class, caste and creed.

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, said Lord Acton. The best way to guard against this danger is to be ever vigilant and aware of our democratic right to choose our representatives wisely and carefully.

Power-hungry, egocentric politicians have no place in a democracy. Their rightful place is the dustbin of oblivion.

So, it’s time for us to resurrect our freedoms and democratic rights to ensure that the right people represent us in a ‘government of the people, by the people and for the people’, as Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States had said.

In a true democracy, there is no discrimination between people on the basis of gender, caste or religion. Artificial divisions of majority and minorities also don’t exist. The country is not ruled by a coterie of politicians in cohorts with a few rich industrialists.

In a real democracy, people are not jailed in false or trumped up charges. The trial in courts is fair and the cardinal principle of our system of justice — innocent until proven guilty — is strictly followed.

In a great democracy, students are allowed to express themselves as leaders of tomorrow and not jailed if they don’t please the ruling establishment. The media is free to write and broadcast the truth. The judiciary is independent and politicians don’t even dream of influencing them.

As important as religious freedom and unity is democratic, human rights and freedom. Together, they make for holistic human beings and happy, harmonious communities and prosperous democratic nations.

To claim that all is well on both religious and democratic fronts, the world over and in our own country, would be wishful thinking.

So, now is the time for all good men and women of the world to unite and resurrect all the glory and freedom that we may have lost somewhere along the way.

That would make for a good Easter celebration — no matter what religion you belong to.

Oswald Pereira, a senior journalist, has also written eight books, including The Newsroom Mafia, Chaddi Buddies, The Krishna-Christ Connexion, How to Create Miracles in Our Daily Life and Crime Patrol: The Most Thrilling Stories. Oswald is a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and practises Kriya Yoga.

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