Skip to main content

In these 'dark times', why are people in India crying out in one voice: Let there be Light

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ* 
India today is enveloped in darkness! As the nation embroils itself from one issue to another, the burden is felt by the ordinary citizen, as never before and in more ways than one. Fascism throttles the country; at this juncture, one cannot help, but reminded of that immortal epigram composed by Bertolt Brecht in 1939.
Brecht, a playwright and poet, who was vehemently anti-Nazi wrote, “In the dark times / will there also be singing? / Yes, there will also be singing. / About the dark times.”. In these dark times, the people of India cry out in one voice, from the depths of their being “Let there be Light”!
Significantly, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, whilst on a visit to India recently strongly stated:
“India’s voice on the global stage can only gain authority and credibility from a strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home… As an elected member of the Human Rights Council, India has a responsibility to shape global human rights, and act and promote the rights of all individuals including members of minority communities…. The Indian model of plurality is based on the simple but profound understanding: Diversity is a richness that makes your country stronger. The understanding is the birthright of every Indian but it is not a guarantee…
“It must be nurtured, strengthened and renewed every day in this and in every other society: by practising the values of Gandhi, by securing and upholding the rights and dignities of all people, especially the most vulnerable, by taking concrete action for inclusion, recognising the enormous value and contributions of multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies, by condemning hate speech unequivocally, by protecting the rights and freedoms of journalists, human rights activists, students, academics, and by ensuring the continued independence of India’s judiciary… This is the India that the world has celebrated. And, I urge Indians to be vigilant and to increase your investments in an inclusive, pluralistic diverse community and society.”
Coincidentally, this year, United Nations Day and Diwali are on the same day 24 October. The underlying message is the same...
“Let there be Light”!
Hate speech and acts of violence, particularly against the minorities, continue to thrive in the country, with the blatant approval of the ruling regime. In a landmark order, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court expressed deep its over hate speeches, while calling these “very disturbing” and wondering “what have we reduced religion to”.
Its order on 21 October directed the police chiefs of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand “to take immediate suo motu action against the offenders by lodging criminal cases without waiting for formal complaints.”. Further, it warned authorities that “any hesitation to act in accordance with this direction will be viewed as contempt of court and appropriate action shall be taken against the erring officers”. The apex court saying on hate speech…
“Let there be Light”!
At the same time, human rights defenders, those who have taken a visible and vocal stand for justice and peace, those who have taken up cudgels for the excluded and exploited, the marginalised and the minorities are at the receiving end of a brutal vengeful system.
Many, as those in the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case are still languishing in jail without trial. Recently, Prof GN Saibaba, Umar Khalid, Jyoti Jagtap and Siddique Kappan were denied bail. Stalwarts like Teesta Setalvad, RB Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt are hounded and harassed no end. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to understand and realise that those who support constitutional rights and the democratic framework of the country have false and fabricated charges foisted on them. The people of India say…
“Let there be Light”!
Interestingly, on the other hand, we have the case of Bilkis Bano. On 3 March 2002, Bilkis a pregnant Muslim woman was gangraped by a Hindutva mob; her three-year old daughter was murdered in front of her eyes. Other women relatives were also gangraped with a total of 14 members being murdered. The perpetrators of this inhuman and heinous crime were sentenced to life imprisonment.
On Independence Day 15 August, the day he waxed eloquent about the safety and protection of women in India, the Prime Minister and his government authorised the premature release of the eleven men who were convicted.
This despite the State acknowledging that “the Superintendent of Police, CBI, Special Crime Branch, Mumbai and the Special Civil Judge (CBI), City Civil and Sessions Court, Greater Bombay had, in March last year, opposed their early release.” There is a national outrage on this remission, which is challenged in the Supreme Court; in the meanwhile, the one prayer uppermost in the heart and on the lips of Bilkis (others too) is…
“Let there be Light”!
Brecht, vehemently anti-Nazi, wrote: In the dark times/ will there also be singing?/ Yes, there will also be singing/ About the dark times
On 3 October, in the wake of some communal clashes during the Navratri Festival in the Kheda District of Gujarat the police detained ten Muslim youth. In full public view, with a mob of locals cheering, the police tied the youth and flogged them.
This was caught on camera and the same went viral. On a petition from concerned citizens the Gujarat High Court has sent a notice to the State Government and police officials. Such ‘kangaroo justice’ is certainly not acceptable anywhere; civil society says…
“Let there be Light”!
On several other counts, the country is in the doldrums: on the Global Hunger Index, India is ranked at an abysmal 107 out of 121 countries; on the Human Development Index, 132 out of 146 countries; in the global gender gap report the ranking is 135 out of 146 countries. India has been ranked at the bottom in a list of 180 countries that were judged for its environmental performances in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
A recent World Bank Report concluded that 80% of those who fell below the US$2.15/day poverty line in 2020, were Indians! The Finance Minister has the audacity to say recently that ‘the Indian Rupee hasn't weakened but in reality, it is the US Dollar that has strengthened!” Unemployment is on the rise; inflationary trends are runaway!
The rich become richer and the poor, poorer. Media is godified, corruption is mainstreamed. Freedom and rights of the citizens are denied. Migrant workers, labourers, fisherfolk, Adivasis, Dalits, the LGBTQI and other vulnerable sections of society make a heart-wrenching cry…
“Let there be Light”!
So as we enter and celebrate our great ‘Festival of Lights’ and wish each the Blessings of the Divine, we all need to pray in the words of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad (1.3.28.) "Asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormā'mṛtaṃ gamaya" (From falsehood lead me to truth, From darkness lead me to light, From death lead me to immortality).
We are challenged in these dark times to be a light that enkindles other lights! From the depths of our being, let us together internalise and radiate the light of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, dignity, diversity and unity!
“Let there be Light”!
---
*Human right, reconciliation & peace activist/writer

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative   A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.
Post a Comment
»

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.
59 comments
»

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan  The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.
Post a Comment
»

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra   We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”
Post a Comment
»

Paper guarantees, real hardship: How budget 2026–27 abandons rural India

By Vikas Meshram   In the history of Indian democracy, the Union government’s annual budget has always carried great significance. However, the 2026–27 budget raises several alarming concerns for rural India. In particular, the vague provisions of the VBG–Ram Ji scheme and major changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) have put the future of rural workers at risk. A deeper reading of the budget reveals that these changes are not merely administrative but are closely tied to political and economic priorities that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of rural households.
Post a Comment
»

Penpa Tsering’s leadership and record under scrutiny amidst Tibetan exile elections

By Tseten Lhundup*  Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay. 
Post a Comment
»

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram   In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.
Post a Comment
»

Frugal funds, fading promises: Budget 2026 exposes shrinking space for minority welfare

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  The Ministry of Minority Affairs was established in 2006 during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following the findings of the Sachar Committee, which documented that Muslims were among the most educationally and economically disadvantaged communities in India. The ministry was conceived as a corrective institutional response to deep structural inequalities faced by religious minorities, particularly Muslims, through focused policy interventions.
Post a Comment
»

From Puri to the State: How Odisha turned the dream of drinkable tap water into policy

By Hans Harelimana Hirwa, Mansee Bal Bhargava   Drinking water directly from the tap is generally associated with developed countries where it is considered safe and potable. Only about 50 countries around the world offer drinkable tap water, with the majority located in Europe and North America, and a few in Asia and Oceania. Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and Singapore have the highest-quality tap water, followed by Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the USA, Australia, the UK, Costa Rica, and Chile.
1 comment
»