Acharya Tulsi
3rd June, 1980 almost led the world on the verge of atomic war. A great chaos spread in the Security Department of America, Pentagon. The sole reason of it was a sudden outbreak of information concerning a nuclear attack. Soviet Russia was transmitted by computer. Without losing a moment the machines resisting such attacks got activated. The engines of nuclear bombs turned hot. A deathly atmosphere spread all around. It was time to press the button when a report came about the computer sending wrong information. Without wasting time the arrangement of waging a war was stopped. If there was a delay in getting the correct information the entire human race would have been in great peril.
In the third seminar of UNO, the Prime Minister of India Mr Rajiv Gandhi addressing the representatives of gathered nations, said concerning disarmament—In the history of mankind twentieth century will be proved to be the deadliest and the blood coated century. Some ten cores people are reported to have died. In the last two world wars some five cores eighty lakhs people were killed. In the other conflicts some four cores people died. Now if the peril of an atomic war gets actualized then there is a possibility of some billions of people getting killed? This would simply mean the extinction of the entire human race. Why such a mistake was caused? Whom was it caused by and how? To know these answers nobody would be alive.
On one hand a strong lust for life is found in human beings and on the other there is an arrangement of annihilating lives. On one hand there is a strong urge of leading a happy and peaceful life and on the other there is a psychology of waging war. According to a survey since 3600 BC human race has been able to live peacefully for some two hundred and fifty two years till date. In the midst of it some fourteen thousand and five hundred battles had been fought. According to another survey it has been known that some seventy- one per cent American, sixty two per cent British, fifty three per cent Spanish, forty—nine per cent Irish, forty eight per cent French, thirty five per cent West Germans and some twenty eight per cent Italians are ready to fight in the next war.
Man is such a creature who is having a developed brain and is a master of his conscience. His life definitely means something. To lead a life is something and to reach an ideal is different matter altogether. Every person cannot reach the ideal but can at least move in that direction. The discussion that took place in the seminar conducted by UNO reveals the belief on non-violent values. The nations that emphasized on disarmament of arms and the proposition that was laid forward by non-violence movement in the seminar stated clearly that in the coming twenty-two years all the nuclear weapons must be dumped. This proposition can only become effective if the manufacturing of new weapons is banned immediately and the weapons that had been produced earlier must be destroyed. It would be a great work. It can neither be done by India alone nor by any other nation. For this a joint effort is required whichever country takes the charges, the first and the last aim should be to destroy the weapons that threat nuclear war.
It is said that in the whole world some one core thirty lakhs rupees are spent every minute on manufacturing arms. In some countries two dollars are spent on every individual for education whereas for army personnel two thousand dollars are being spent on every soldier. Unless this situation is changed no sound of the footsteps of peace could be heard on the land of any nation.
The famous scientists of America, Kart Sagon and Paul Krutzenin their interview given to the United Fund Organization of American Congress had said that even if one per cent of the accumulated nuclear arms of the powerful nations are used it would cause havoc.
After having examined all these situations man has to decide to take refuge m non-violence from violence. As long as the values of violence have a strong influence over the lifestyle of family, society or nation the faith over non-violence would never be consolidated. The world scorched by the flame of violence can get respite only by taking refuge in non-violence.
The atomic weapons are not at all necessary for life. In their presence the national welfare is also affected. In a situation like this the discussion regarding disarmament in UNO is quite relevant. The seeds of disarmament lie in fearlessness, harmony and tolerance. It is necessary for man to remain fearless and make others fearless on his part, a mutual harmony be established and a feeling of tolerance for others is born then disarmament would be the natural consequence of it. With cessation of arms, if the consciousness of producing arms is also transformed, then the world can be spared of the peril of nuclear war.
