An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide: Minimizing Himsa In Professional Duties

As I mentioned earlier, Mrs. Jain’s husband, Mr. Suresh Jain, was a senior level government administrator (IAS) and had been in charge many times to maintain law and order in his area of jurisdiction. I asked him to what level and how he observes ahimsa in the discharge of his duties of his profession. He told me “Sulekh-ji, it has happened to me several times that when the mob is protesting against something, they became unruly all of a sudden and start throwing stones on the police and resort to looting and arson. At that time it is the first and utmost duty of the administrator to restore law and order.” To do that, sometimes, he and his police force had to resort to tear gas, lathi (sticks) charge, beating, and perhaps actual firing to disperse the mob.

In such situations, first he gave enough warning to the mob to disperse. Then, he fully instructed his police force not to use too much or unnecessary force. They must observe due restraints, refrain from showing revenge, and avoid making a show of their firing and hitting power. When firing had to be ordered, he always first asked his policemen to fire mostly into the air instead of into the crowd. He instructs them to have only the minimum casualties.

Even in several such trying circumstances, he has always kept the principles of ahimsa as his guide. If he and his men would have been even a bit careless, they could easily end up with many casualties. I wish that more senior administrators would follow his example of restraint and care for non-violence.