HOW easy it is for us to voice words such as, ‘All Indians are my brothers and sisters!’ and then quietly turn away from some person worshiping in a way different from us! But when a national leader, held in great reverence by a majority of the country, speaks his mind clearly and loudly and says, “We are all from the same DNA!” it makes an impact!
An incident that took place during the First World War comes to my mind: The Grand Rabbi of Lyons was a Jewish chaplain to the French forces.
One day a man staggered into the trenches and told the Rabbi that a Roman Catholic was on the point of death in no man’s land and was begging for a Catholic priest to come to him with a crucifix. No Catholic priest could be found.
The Jewish Rabbi then quickly improvised a cross, ran out with it into the no man’s land and was last seen holding it before the dying man’s eyes.
He was almost immediately shot by a sniper and later the bodies of the Catholic and the Jew were found together!
And another story: During a battle between Muslims and Sikhs hundreds of years ago, a Sikh water carrier called Ghanaya was seen giving water to wounded Muslim soldiers as they lay suffering from thirst under the hot sun.
He was brought before Guru Gobind Singh and accused of being a traitor. The Guru heard the charges and asked Ghanaya to answer them.
Said Ghanaya, “When I walked through the battlefields I saw no Muslims and no Sikhs, only your face in every man.”
“You are a true Sikh,” replied the Guru, “Continue your good work and here is some ointment to put on their wounds.
You shall henceforth be known as Bhai Ghanaya.” Says Guru Gobind Singh: Recognise all mankind, whether Hindu or Muslim, as one: The same Lord is the Creator and Nourisher of all; Recognise no distinctions among them.
The monastery and the mosque are the same; So, the Hindu worship and the Muslim prayer; Men are all one.
Today, we live in a country which is actually tolerant towards all religions. When in school I hardly understood the difference between a friend who was a Christian or from any other faith.
My best friend was a Muslim, and later in college many more who were non-Christians, and it bothered me none.
This is how India has been, and if national leaders one by one, like Mohan Bhagat are able to voice their feelings in this way, elections by political leaders will be fought again on issues like food, shelter and clothing and not the way their voters worship. After all our DNA is the same..!
