I am appalled by the BJP’s policies, which seem to have eroded the tolerance Pramukh Swami espoused as fundamental to Hinduism’s ancient commitment to ahimsa, or non-maleficence towards any being. His response to the Gandhinagar shooting, praying for perpetrators and victims alike, is just one thread of the interreligious tapestry woven by the Vedic ideals of daya (compassion) and respect.

Now, without BAPS’ strong leadership, we witness the desecration of this ancient tenet of the Vedic dharma (moral code) by the loss of 24 souls, lynched for their religious beliefs. How can we stand by when the soil of Bharat Mata, a metaphor harking back to the Sanskrit epics, is tainted by the blood of our brothers and sisters? They are not siblings by virtue of being countrymen but by virtue of being in of themselves.

As Pramukh Swami used to say, “In the joy of others lies our own.” The contrapositive: In the suffering of others, lies our own. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Let us choose to be good by choosing dharma: stick up for satya (truth) and support the principles of diversity embedded in the shared vision of Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, and other founders of a free India.

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