The Effects of Fasting
Fast onto a Change!
Such terms have been read so many times from those people who want to bring about a positive change in our society. Why, fast? Why not use other technique?
Answer is:- Violence is everywhere and being violent cannot bring about a change...PERIOD!
All sensible people have realized non-violence is the path of attaining one's goal. Thus, such people torture themselves in order to bring about a change in the society. Many leaders have fasted to bring about a revolution. Some examples that I can think of are:-
- Mahatma Gandhi--Is the legend of Non-violence. He firmly believed in non-violence and that made the Britishers give up on India..eventually. He fasted for peace when India was partitioned. There were communal riots and there was no way to control people who got independence from Britishers and now were made to make a difficult decision of deciding whether to live in India or Pakistan. Gandhi fasted until there was peace amongst the people.
- Potti Sriramulu: He fasted in Madras city of India for ~82 days asking for a state for the city he was fasting in. Ultimately, the Government granted a state, Andhra for the city of Madras.
- Jatin Das: He starved himself to death in 62 days demanding equality for Indian prisoners in other countries. The conditions of Indian inhabitants of the jails was deplorable- the jail uniforms the Indian jail mates wore was not washed and the kitchen area and food was covered with rats and cockraches.
- Irom Sharmila Chanu:-She is also known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur". She is a civil rights activist, political activist, and poet from the Indian state of Manipur. Since November 2000, she has been fasting to bring about the government to notice the attrocities brought about on the civilians of the city. Having refused food and water for more than ten years, she has been called "the world's longest hunger striker".
- Anna Hazare:-Is currently fasting for a BILL to pass. This bill is against corruption. And IF this bill will be passed by the Parliament then, our future generation will know what a clean world it can be without money being used for any deeds to be performed.
Such people have determination to bring about a change in their society. They are not in need of gaining importance but in need of a revolution; a change which will help the whole society. Their self-less act of giving up on food is remarkable and I salute these human beings who prefer to be the leaders of a present situation rather than being a leader of a country and gaining all the fame and luxuries which come with it.
