Equality is everyone’s basic requirement

By: Ambika Khanna

In my Civics class, my teacher asked students to research for a nation where everyone was of the same economic background and no one was discriminated against caste, religion or sex. While searching the internet, I stumbled upon a line that read, “While important advancements have been achieved in many areas, societies are still plagued by discrimination, racism, and inequalities.”

I wasn’t shocked to learn this because it is what we see every day. India has diverse cultures, many races, castes, religions, genders, and economic backgrounds. We must question ourselves, “Are we giving the same treatment to our maids at home as our family members?” or “Are we showing respect to people who are of lower economic backgrounds?” “Do we allow maids to sit on our sofas and dining tables?” The answer might be “No.”

Fortunately, there are role models from India’s past who offer a blueprint for how to combat discrimination and inequality. One such role model is Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most influential figures in India’s independence movement. Many people in our country has been follow his teachings as he was one of the bravest to help set India free from the British rule. He once said that the servants of the British were treated as a part of the family. From then on, he started treating everyone as his brothers and sisters.

Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence or ahimsa is a valuable guide to creating a society free from discrimination and inequality. He believed that all individuals are equal, regardless of their caste, religion, or economic background, and that we must treat everyone with respect and dignity.

His commitment to non-violence and equality is perhaps best exemplified by his relationship with his own domestic helpers. He treated them as members of his own family, refusing to eat until they had been served while encouraging his own family members to do the same. Gandhi’s commitment to equality extended beyond his own home as well; he fought tirelessly for the rights of India’s Dalits, or “untouchables,” and other marginalised groups.

If we can follow ahimsa (non-violence), which was one of the main teachings of Gandhi ji, why can’t we treat others equally like he did?