Skip to main content

'Fear no foe... ills have no weight', said Gandhi's pet hymn dropped by Modi govt

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ* 
Outside the St Michael’s Church in Mahim Mumbai is a powerful slogan, “God will always abide with me, even if I retreat!” In many ways this creative caption sums up the raging controversy on ‘Abide With Me’ that has been on prime-time news and on social media for a week now!
A recent Government (Defence Ministry) communique finds no mention of ‘Abide With Me’ in this year’s ‘Beating Retreat’ programme which will be held on January 29 as the culmination of the events on and around Republic Day. ‘Abide in Me’ has been one of the staple tunes at the ceremony since 1950 and was Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite!
The spokesperson of the Defence Ministry did not offer any comment as to why this immortal composition was dropped. Plenty of unofficial reasons are being flaunted for doing so. Earlier, the Government had planned to drop ‘Abide With Me’ in 2020 from the Beating Retreat ceremony but had later retained it after a huge nationwide uproar.
This time there is also a groundswell of protest. It is certain however, that the Government will be unrelenting besides over the years they have systematically destroyed the secular, impartial and objective credentials of the defence establishment!
‘Abide With Me’ was composed by a Scottish Anglican, Henry Francis Lyte. It is a prayer to God to stay with the one praying throughout life, through trials and tribulations and even in death. It was written by Lyte in 1847 as he was dying from tuberculosis. Apparently Lyte first wrote it when he visited an old friend, William Le Hunte, who was dying.
As Lyte sat with the dying man, William kept repeating the phrase "abide with me…" After leaving William's bedside, Lyte wrote the hymn and gave a copy of it to Le Hunte's family. Though there are clear Christian references: the opening line alludes to, "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent", ( Lk. 24:29) and the penultimate verse draws on text from the Letter to the Corinthians "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor 15:55), and is often regarded as a Christian hymn, ‘Abide With Me’ actually transcends the narrow confines of any religion. Its lyrics (translated into several languages all over the world) are undying and its melody so haunting!
It doesn’t need much of a ‘rocket science’ knowledge to know why the government has decided to obliterate a song of such nostalgia, importance and meaning. Some superfluous reasons are being floated: the colonial past, indigenisation etc. They hold no water! The government will certainly not do away with the railways or many more vestiges from colonial rule. Besides, the defence establishment may even collapse were they to stop importing arms and ammunition and other military equipment like the Raffaele jets -- which are ‘phoren-made’. Will our politicians and bureaucrats and other powerful vested interests stop sending their children to study abroad or mint money in flush jobs in foreign countries?
India today has become a land of hypocrites, self-centred bigots who are determined to destroy everything that is precious in the country: from the Constitution to democratic principles, from pluralism to Gandhian values. They really don’t care about what is happening to the country as long as their interests are served.
Gandhi said hate must be countered solely with love, a very Christian ethic. Let us all make the singing of Abide With Me our reply to hate
One person who has resolutely espoused the cause of ‘Abide With Me’ is Tushar Gandhi, the great- grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. In a communication to me a few days ago Tushar writes,
“Hello Father Cedric
"This is Tushar Gandhi from Mumbai. I am sending you an appeal I am making to Christian clergy please help distribute it in your circles too. Hope you are fine it has been a long time since we communicated.
"An Appeal
"Mohandas Gandhi believed that it was the duty of every human to study and respect every religion in pursuit of this he studied the holy scriptures of every religion.
"All his life, in all his Ashrams in South Africa and in India prayers were held every morning and evening. In them prayers from all religions were included and given equal importance. The Hymn ‘Abide With Me’ was one of his favourite Hymns and would be sung many a times. After Independence after India became a Republic. Republic Day commemoration would end with the Beating The Retreat Ceremony on Raj Path on 29th January. 
"Marching Bands of all three Services performed several songs. ‘Abide With Me’ was always performed all these years. It symbolises the syncretic culture of our nation where all religions were included and given an equal status and respect. This year inexplicably ‘Abide with Me’ has been replaced. 
"It is hurtful more so because the next day January 30th is The Day Bapu was martyred in 1948. In his memory and as a tribute to his desire for an inclusive all embracing respectful and loving nation, Citizens of India should take it upon themselves to perform, recite or play, ‘Abide with me’ as a tribute to Mohandas Gandhi.
"My Appeal to the Church is to sing ‘Abide With Me’ in as many Churches as possible all over India on 30th January this year, as a tribute to Mohandas Gandhi and as an affirmation of our Syncretic Culture and our secular belief of equal respect to all religions. 
"Unfortunately, today hate has taken center stage in our nation, changing the narrative of so many decades and corrupting the ideal on which our nation was founded. Gandhi said that hate must be countered solely with love, a very Christian ethic. Let us all make the singing, reciting or playing of ‘Abide With Me’ our reply to hate. Let love prevail.
"Sincerely,
"Tushar Gandhi (98213366 tushar@mahatma.org.in gandhitushar.a@gmail.com)."
I promised Tushar that I would do the needful (read his appeal, now going viral, above carefully and do your best to act accordingly) that is why I am writing this article with a few more suggestions:
  1. On both days 29 January (Beating Retreat) and 30 January (the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination) sing/ play ‘Abide With Me’ as often as possible
  2. If there are Church Services (January 30 being a Sunday) or any other assembly play/sing ‘Abide With Me’
  3. There are several renditions of the song, particularly on YouTube, share them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc)
  4. Get a choir/ensemble together to sing the song
  5. Don’t stop with these two days continue as long as possible
Above all, let us not be cowed down by cowards; when we give in to them and just acquiesce to their demands – we not only lose something for ourselves, but for the people of country and for the future. Perhaps at this juncture we need to take a cue from the words of ‘Abide With Me’.
“I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness
Where is death's sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me”
Yes, to fear no one, because God is with us and we will triumph! ‘Abide With Me’ will stay forever!
---
*Human rights, reconciliation and peace activist/writer

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor*  This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.
Post a Comment
»

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...
Post a Comment
»

1857 War of Independence... when Hindu-Muslim separatism, hatred wasn't an issue

"The Sepoy Revolt at Meerut", Illustrated London News, 1857  By Shamsul Islam* Large sections of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs unitedly challenged the greatest imperialist power, Britain, during India’s First War of Independence which began on May 10, 1857; the day being Sunday. This extraordinary unity, naturally, unnerved the firangees and made them realize that if their rule was to continue in India, it could happen only when Hindus and Muslims, the largest two religious communities were divided on communal lines.
Post a Comment
»

From triple centurion to master coach: Bob Simpson’s enduring legacy

By Harsh Thakor*  Former Australia cricket captain and coach Bob Simpson has died in Sydney aged 89. He leaves behind an indelible legacy, having shaped Australian cricket for more than four decades as a player, captain and coach. Beyond the field, he also served the game as a law-maker, referee and commentator, carving a permanent niche among the all-time greats of Australian cricket.
Post a Comment
»

Fate of Yamuna floodplain still hangs in "balance" despite National Green Tribunal rap on Sri Sri event

By Ashok Shrimali* While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday reportedly pulled up the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for granting permission to hold spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival on the banks of Yamuna, the chief petitioners against the high-profile event Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan has declared, the “fate of the floodplain still hangs in balance.”
Post a Comment
»

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...
Post a Comment
»

Spirit of leadership vs bondage: Of empowered chairman of 100-acre social forestry coop

By Gagan Sethi*  This is about Khoda Sava, a young Dalit belonging to the Vankar sub-caste, who worked as a bonded labourer in a village near Vadgam in Banskantha district of North Gujarat. The year was 1982. Khoda had taken a loan of Rs 7,000 from the village sarpanch, a powerful landlord doing money-lending as his side business. Khoda, who had taken the loan for marriage, was landless. Normally, villagers would mortgage their land if they took loan from the sarpanch. But Khoda had no land. He had no option but to enter into a bondage agreement with the sarpanch in order to repay the loan. Working in bondage on the sarpanch’s field meant that he would be paid Rs 1,200 per annum, from which his loan amount with interest would be deducted. He was also obliged not to leave the sarpanch’s field and work as daily wager somewhere else. At the same time, Khoda was offered meal once a day, and his wife job as agricultural worker on a “priority basis”. That year, I was working as secretary...
Post a Comment
»

Two more "aadhaar-linked" Jharkhand deaths: 17 die of starvation since Sept 2017

Kaleshwar's sons Santosh and Mantosh Counterview Desk A fact-finding team of the Right to Feed Campaign, pointing towards the death of two more persons due to starvation in Jharkhand, has said that this has happened because of the absence of aadhaar, leading to “persistent lack of food at home and unavailability of any means of earning.” It has disputed the state government claims that these deaths are due to reasons other than starvation, adding, the authorities have “done nothing” to reduce the alarming state of food insecurity in the state.
1 comment
»

Proposed Modi yatra from Jharkhand an 'insult' of Adivasi hero Birsa Munda: JMM

Counterview Desk  The civil rights network, Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JMM), which claims to have 30 grassroots groups under its wings, has decided to launch Save Democracy campaign to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra to be launched on November 15 from the village of legendary 19th century tribal independence leader Birsa Munda from Ulihatu (Khunti district).
Post a Comment
»