don't honour baba amte with bharat ratna

DON’T GIVE BABA AMTE THE BHARAT RATNA

Cho Ramaswamy said it all about the Bharat Ratna. It is just not an honor to receive India’s highest civilian award at the hands of less than honorable ‘ leaders’.

I remember reading Bhagwan Rajneesh writing that he was once asked to furnish a ‘ character certificate’ from his teacher in connection with a job. The irreverent Rajneesh ,then just graduating from college, replied that since his teacher was bereft of character he Rajneesh did not consider it fit to obtain a ‘ character’ certificate from him!

Baba Amte who passed away last evening was one of those people who worked ceaselessly, far away from the limelight. Baba created a haven for leprous people in Chandrapur district in Maharashtra . Our society with its mixture of ignorance ,superstition and callousness has placed such unfortunate people at its physical and mental fringe .Baba was barely talked about by a media obsessed with city based social workers preferably with foreign connections or with the ability to invite media persons to high tea and more at 5 star hotels.

The Dalai Lama had recommended Baba Amte to the Nobel committee more than once but that institution has its own criteria especially when it comes to the Peace Prize.

Despite his debilitation illnesses—he had been suffering for many years from a spinal disease-- Baba Amte never wavered in his determination to work for those truly at the periphery of our national consciousness.

He can do without the Bharat Ratna. It is our country’s destiny to be blessed with many such people who are working totally oblivious to their lack of recognition. Rather like the Upanishads whose authors never cared to reveal their names.

Such desire for anonymity born out of genuine humility of the sort that Baba Amte personifies appears naïve in a society that craves for recognition .

K.R.RAVI

USA