Swami Dharmananda
Malerkotla, 22.03.2006
H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna with the Ahimsa Yatra procession reached at S. S. Jain Public School. I n reply to the civic reception accorded to him, he said, “We are having democracy in our country. There had never been the rule of one person, one community, and one sect. Today we have a very nice system, which is a combination of all of them.
There are many people, which do not air violence. Those who do so do not believe in democracy. In democracy, the principle of equality and relativity are important, which are also principles of Anekantvad. Anekantvad philosophy does not propagate any sect is the best, but to understand the truth of other philosophies. Therefore, we should understand the meaning of democracy and we should create an environment of fearlessness. This can be developed by non-violence. Persons should change their consciousness, stick no longer to uncourteous conventions, and always be ready to accept new thinking for society and nation's progress.
Ahimsa Yatra has become the torch to show the path of communal harmony and co-operation. People advised us at the beginning of Ahimsa Yatra not to go from Rajasthan to Gujarat as communal fighting was going on there. When there was communal fighting in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, we called both Hindus and Muslims, made them sit together and understand that they should live peacefully together, for development and progress cannot be without peace. All accepted our advice and peace was restored.