People's movement

Manerbio, Italy. 1982. The Margis have uncovered a major case of graft and corruption, and have organized a movement to try to stop it —Prout in action!

74 In a few months the local government plans to close the Manerbio hospital and shift its facilities to another town. The only reason for the move is the financial benefit it will bring to the host of companies involved in the construction of the new hospital. The losers will be the people of Manerbio, who will lose their hospital.

Sister Damayanti is the leader of this fledgling movement, along with her husband Jiivananda and two other Margis. Over the last few weeks many volunteers have helped them to distribute leaflets and collect petition signatures.

Today they held their first demonstration. It was a grand success.

Over 4000 people came and joined in the march.

Two months later. By now, the “Save Our Hospital” movement has had four demonstrations, with up to 8000 participants apiece. A few days ago an incident occurred which showed how much the local people have come to trust the Margis: During a village meeting held in a market place, speakers expressed their opinions about city conditions. At one point, a well-known priest said, “We have to encourage more the involvement by the young people of our city. Just see what good work is being done by those leading the Save Our H ospitat movement.”

74 At this point in time, Prout people’s movements outside of India were still a novelty, i.e, such work had only just begun. Though M argis were the leaders of these actions, the participants were primarily non-M argis. The actions were of two main types—positive constructive programs and anti-exploitation drives. For example, I had recently participated in initiating a mass-housing action in Holland, and an anti-pornography drive in Norway.

In India, Prout people’s movements had already begun many years before. Some had the support of hundreds of thousands of people.

From the crowd one women yelled back, “Si, noi crediamo piu in quei giovani che in te/—Yes, we believe more in those young people than in you!”

Another yelled, “Perche voi preti non avete fatto niente per salvare il nostro hospetale tanto tempo fa?— Why didn’t you priests do anything to save our hospital long ago?"

Someone else added, “Te giusto Stai saltando sul populare vagone della bandal— You’re just jumping on a popular band-wagon!”

An incident happened today which also demonstrates the movement’s strength, but in a shocking manner. After a morning meeting in one section of the city, the Margis drove to another meeting in a different part of town.

Damayanti was so inspired she sang Baba Nam Kevalam the entire way, about thirty minutes, over the loud-speaker system mounted on the car’s rooftop. At the foot of a hill leading up to the meeting site, the car’s engine died.

After the Margis got out of the car, a man opened the hood to check on the cause of the failure. He discovered a bomb lodged there!

Because Damayanti had been using the amplifier throughout the whole drive, the weak electrical system was sufficiently over-taxed to cause the engine to die, leaving an insufficient charge for the bomb to explode.

Though the lives of the Margis were obviously saved by the grace of Baba, this experience shook them up. They had not understood the extent of the danger they faced from opponents of their movement.

Two weeks later. Today the local government announced its decision not to shift the hospital. A big party will be held by the public honoring Damayanti and the other leaders of the Save our H ospital movement.

Over the last weeks Damayanti and Jiivananda’s meditation became irregular. They gave more importance to their social work than to their spiritual practices. As a result, their behavior became more aggressive and egoistic.

Fortunately, through discussion with acharyas a few days ago, they recognized this loss of balance — and they re-started their spiritual discipline.

It is surprising but true that those who work more also need to meditate more.

A desperate attack

Luxembourg. 1 May. There is news from Calcutta. It is so abominable and heinous that I find it difficult to write.

Yesterday at 6:30 AM, our workers were attacked while coming by taxis to our Calcutta headquarters.

17 Dadas and Didis were killed in an atrocious manner.

The same vicious tactic was used in each case. The attackers stopped the taxis at railroad crossings, pulled our workers out onto the street and first beat them with iron rods to make them helpless.

They then blinded them by throwing acid in their eyes, gouged out their eyes with knives, stabbed them repeatedly, and finally doused their bodies with petrol and burned them.

Over the last few weeks, the Communists prepared the public for this attack by holding small street demonstrations and claiming that our orphanages and schools are full of children we stole from their parents.

In response, we approached both politicians and newspapers to show the documentation of all the orphans under our care. We challenged the demonstrators to produce even a single parent with a complaint against us.

Instead of responding to our documentation, the Communists tried to drum up further hostility by repeatedly shouting over loud-speakers “Beware of the Ananda Margi child-lifters!”

Only when the attacks occurred did anyone recognize that the demonstrations were part of a strategy to protect the true villains. At yesterday morning’s press conference. Communist politicians claimed that the violence was the spontaneous result of mob psychology, and that the attackers were parents and local people.

From the first, however, the public and the media unanimously rejected this explanation. The claim that it was a spontaneous uprising was patently absurd.

How could a spontaneous uprising happen simultaneously in three separate locations, using identical methods? The local police were also responsible.

For one hour after the attacks they refused to initiate an investigation, even though their station was within 200 meters of the incidents.

The attackers’ true intentions become clear once you add the fact that our Central workers come to the office by taxi at just this hour every day.

Only because Baba requested a special meeting the previous night was their schedule different yesterday.

The mobsters planned to kill the Central workers, but instead the victims were all school teachers coming for a teachers’ meeting. 75

The Communists fear our moral integrity and low-budget social work.

In comparison they know that their government looks corrupt and ideologically backward.

Our legal section has filed cases but the attackers have already absconded through police complicity.

We know that the West Bengal government will never investigate. So we are demanding an inquiry by the federal government.

Ananda Margis have never engaged in violence, and that we have been victims of numerous personal and property attacks by the Communists, one would think at least the federal government will cooperate.

But I do not expect cooperation, because the federal government is as corrupt as the state body.

In the face of these assaults, and without hope of government or police assistance, should we give up our social work and our social movements, and join the under-the-table diplomacy which rules the country?

Or should we gain strength and inspiration from the understanding that the corrupt are bound to attempt to destroy those who are non-compromisingly striving toward goodness?

Necessary insight and intuition

Calcutta. Several court cases are going on, most of them initiated by Ananda Marga to protest oppression by local communists or other politicians.

While informing Baba of the progress of these cases, one worker asked Baba for guidance.

Baba replied:

“Ours is a missionary work. You are all working for long and have sufficient experience. Must I give suggestions on each and every petty matter?

It gives me much pain. If you all are simply sincere with your meditation and 16 Points, you will get the necessary insight and intuition. This applies to all workers.”

He requested this statement to be made known to all workers.

75 Since apparently Baba knew the attack would occur, the question may arise why He allowed the school teachers to fall into the trap. Why does Baba (or for that matter God) allow anyone in the world to suffer or die? I believe that suffering can often be a positive force in the path of spiritual awakening. We are born in order to realize life’s lessons.

Suffering and death are vital for that realization. Why Baba freed some people from certain suffering, and did not free others, isa far too complicated matter for me. Thedeep psycho-spiritual needsof both individuals and the society are involved. Surely He had His plan, and followed it.

Ananda Nagar. During afternoon reporting, one-by-one we stood in front of Baba, undergoing His scrutiny. When it was my turn. He exposed some of the defects of my work, and then began beating me with His stick.

The General Secretary said to me, “Give some explanation.”

Usually workers reply by saying something like, “I will do my work better, Baba,” or “I tried my best. Baba, but couldn’t get the public’s response,” or “Baba, Baba, Baba!” or some other unimpressive statement. Generally He continues the beating for some time.

But I said spontaneously, “I am lazy and selfish!”

His whopping became softer.

“I am stupid and insincere!”

The beating stopped.

“What do you say, my boy?” Baba said. “I will change my ways and not waste a single solitary moment!” I said decidedly.

“Yesss. Very good.”

Afterward, one Dada said to me, “Those replies to Baba were very clever.”

“But I meant it,” I said.

During the night reporting that same Dada came under Baba’s stick. Immediately he said. “I’m worthless and slothful!” Beat beat beat.

“I’m egoistic and not industrious!” Beat beat beat.

“Yes, yes. We know that,” said Baba.

Beat beat beat.

“But I’ll become a perfect worker, Baba!” Beat beat beat.

“Just words. Just words,” said Baba. Beat beat beat.

The Dada looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Baba, Baba, Baba!” he said.

The beating went on about double the normal time for him.