June 24: Day 1 of my fast, day 121 of our chain:

Unbelievable that the chain has been going on for so long now. People may wonder: Why? Similar to the fatigue that sets in with COVID isolation, one is tempted to let the guards down and just let it go. However, the risk can be high, minds get numbed when seeing human misery all the time. Let’s never normalize it. Shout-out to Suniti Sanghavi for shepherding us along, let’s keep this fight going.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 25: Day 2 of my fast, day 122 of our chain:

Progression to Facism is often silent and slow, slipping below the radar of most people. A key ingredient is a lack of empathy within the majority of the population, something I can clearly see in India. Why is Mein Kampf sold almost everywhere? What do people see? It shocked me more than 10 years ago already but the rising blind patriotism and Hindutva puts it into a different light now. There is an insecure yearning for national pride. There is no good way out of this but through consistent protests and resistance.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80138915 nicely shows how a small group of fanatics can take over a country little by little, exploiting fear and hate. The only thing that keeps me hopeful is the truism „whatever you say about India, the opposite is also true“. There are so many intelligent, talented and compassionate people, I hope they will win and the country will put humanism above short term capital gains or a false sense of renewed pride again.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 26: Day 3 of my fast, day 123 of our chain:

Even though this fast isn’t easy, I find it easier than Ramadan fasting (when I joined Suniti Sanghavi for a single day). Not being able to drink at all as well made it much harder. The spiritual meaning can’t be more meaningful though. Fasting now is not only a protest but also creates compassion for those in need and who suffer most of their life. My fast will end in 2 days and just knowing this makes it much easier. Others don’t have this privilege and for those we protest.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 27: Day 4 of my fast, day 124 of our chain:

Encouraged by discussions at home and my potential insight into my home country’s (Germany) history, some more thoughts about the insanity of persistent admiration about Hitler’s Germany (particularly in India). Commonalities are the yearning for “strong leadership”, not unlike in the US now and Brazil. Also, the myth of uniting the masses towards a common goal, thereby making the nation stronger.

The truth is that this kind of strength is always short-lived as it just tries to put a band-aid on more complex issues. This path is a dangerous one if combined with hatred and scapegoating of minorities, as the Holocaust shows. One has to see and be aware the risk of the path ahead, even if some consider it exaggerated.

To me, the exceptionalism of India is how it has always absorbed different cultures into vibrant communities. India has been a melting pot long before other nations. The exceptionalism of the US is similar, a beacon of hope for other people as beautifully illustrated by the Statue of Liberty. Both are in danger of losing their exceptionalism by giving in to divisive rhetoric, small-minded goals and confusing hard-line politics with strength.

Hoping and fasting for a way out of this mess…

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 28: Day 5 of my fast, day 125 of our chain:

My fast is almost coming to an end but the protest is as alive as ever.

Interested in more background or do you want to participate? Please check out https://www.facebook.com/Chain-Fasting-for-Peace-102884841456723/

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 19: Day 1 of my fast, day 116 of 120

Today on the 1st day of my fasting 2nd time as part of this chain….having headache as this is the first day and body has it’s own reactions….but I am very happy to be part of this chain fasting for many reasons…

I being this fasting chain with a wish for a sensitive society/ people…

I wish for all of us to be more and more sensitive to our children, parents, partner, friends….

we take a pledge that we will not even in joke make any person feel bad about himself…

we will not make fun of each other….

and we will not support any cheap scripted entertainment….

not to make anyone a laughing material which can hurt the person….

if I want a society which is sensitive then I have to begin from my self…🙏🙏

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 20: Day 2 of my fast, day 117 of 120

Today is dedicated to Justice, when a person who was arrested for his involvement in terror activities was released whereas Zafoora who is pregnant and was protesting against CAA is being held in jail….And so are many other activists

#ChainFastingForPlace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 21: Day 3rd of my fast, day 118 of 120

Today is dedicated to Sanjeev bhatt….he should be released …what was his crime? Is it much bigger than Davinder Singh’s crime who has been granted bail even after his involvement in terror activities….I demand justice for Sanjeev bhatt who is an honest officer….

#ChainFastingForPlace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 22: Day 4th of my fast, day 119 of 120

Today is dedicated to: I as a citizen demand a secure life for every one…but more and more I see our country is becoming unsafe for women and children…..I demand from our gov to give a safe environment to the women and our children….🙏 And all the minorities should get a safe environment rather than the fearful surroundings….every life is precious ❤

#ChainFastingForPlace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 23: Day 5th of my fast, day 120 of 120

Today is dedicated to a question about the environment and nature….how to live with nature without destroying it….what is progress? And what is the cost we are paying for this so called progress….what is at stake?…is human life so important that nothing seems more important than that? Can we live without this nature in these concrete boxes? We are disconnecting ourselves from nature and that is not good…..it is scary…. 🙏

#FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 14: Day 1 of my fast, day 111 of our chain:

For the numerologist types out there, the number tells something, isn’t it? I am joking, it doesn’t. it is just a number. Like so many other numbers out there- Number of COVID 19 cases, number of food packets, numbers of migrant workers, number of death due to hunger, number of lynching, number of sectarian riots, number of houses burned, , number of innocent lives taken by the police, number of people killed in riots, number of people committed suicide … I can go on and on like this forever, and it will still mean nothing. I don’t really know who or what to dedicate my first day of this round of fasts. Since we began this fasting chain, so many kinds of human sufferings have piled up that perhaps only a number can accommodate in this space. But let me write about what is most recent in the focus- Mental illness. It is a real thing, and we healthy people don’t understand it, can’t understand it. So, when someone tells you that there is no point in living anymore, or stays in bed for reasons you don’t understand, or have mood swings for no “obvious” reasons, please pay attention to it. Mental illness is not easy to diagnose, not easy to recognize, but it is there, more common than we perhaps know and in a lot of cases treatable or at least manageable. As a partner, friend, sibling, parent etcetera (yes! I like writing that in full), it is also not easy to make sense of things. It is emotionally tiring, but try to imagine how hard would it be to deal with mental illness yourself? To not know why you are acting the way you do? Why you suddenly have no energy, no motivation to do anything and all you can do is cry your heart out? Then why suddenly everything is clear again and you are full of energy? As if a cloud has lifted? Pay attention to words that they speak. And the key word here is “pay attention”, not provide answers, because there are none. And no matter how much you will tell your loved one motivational word, encouraging words, they will seem to hit a wall. So, what can you do? The first thing to understand is acceptance- that there is an illness and that you don’t understand (you can’t understand). Second, it is no one’s fault. It is an illness, and it needs to be addressed like one. A difficult kind, but an illness nevertheless. Third, empathy. And perhaps your biggest tool to connect with your loved one in the time of crisis, to create a space where your loved one can honestly and freely talk without hindrance or being judged or told what to do and how to do, because, perhaps all that your loved one wants is for someone to be there and listen. Or stay silent if speaking is too painful, and still have someone around. Fourth, counselling, diagnosis and correct medical intervention, just like any other illness (and although this is just one sentence, its importance can not be overstated) Fifth, your own mental health. Take time for yourself, give yourself a break if needed. You are also a human and you did not cause the problem, but you can be a great support if you are yourself mentally healthy. Sixth, education. Educate yourself, your friends, relatives while respecting the individuality and personal space of your loved one. Educate others about acceptance, care and empathy, but most importantly, to drive home the message that mental illnesses are illnesses and a lot of them are treatable and manageable. Without acting like “Mr. Fix it” and thinking that you have understood and found the solution. You have not. There is a ton of material available online and in forms of books about the medical, psychological and family/relationship aspect of mental illnesses. Seventh, path to recovery also throws many challenges. As a caretaker, avoid getting overenthusiastic. Be patient and let your loved one set the pace, but try to stay available. People with mental illness often appear “too touchy”, “too sensitive” and “too erratic”. Be patient with them, they are not doing it on purpose, they can’t help it. Stay put. You may be surprised to know how much they feel about their own behavior, if only you chose to listen. P.S: I have myself never experienced any sort of mental illness, and so I don’t claim to “know”. I don’t. But I KNOW that by being empathetic you can find a better space for both your loved one and for yourself. And on a side note, by being empathetic you can also learn and connect with your fellow human beings in general, especially with marginalized groups and those who face systematic discrimination at the hands of the State. So, “empathy”, should perhaps be the first thing you must learn before you can even TRY to “understand”.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 15: Day 2 of my fast, day 112 of our chain:

Why you are not insignificant? We grow up learning that in the grand scheme of things our actions do not make any significant difference. Democracies around the world with all the Utopian ideals of people’s power has been successful in infusing absolute disappointment among the voters and we often hear- what is going to change anyway? So what if a different party or government comes to power? Nothing will change. But look at it like this. In an array of circles, neatly arranged in rows and columns, a square becomes very significant. And lesser the number of squares present in the arrangement, the more visible they become, the more disturbing they become, the more unacceptable they become. The status quo wants all circles, but just one square can disturb that arrangement. So, the lonelier you think you are in that sea of complying individuals, the more significant you actually are. But the problem with that misplacement is not really of significance. It is a problem of accepting your significance and acting on it. The fear of being identified as a square in that sea of circles keeps us from accepting that we are not a circle. The fear of looking apart from the group is what keeps us from accepting that we don’t belong. So, what to do with the fear? Find others like us. Reach out to people around us and try to find if there are other squares in that sea. There is always a silent defect around the atoms that don’t belong to the lattice. That silent defect can be heard by other atoms that don’t belong. Try to listen to that silence.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 16: Day 3 of my fast, day 113 of our chain:

I was scrambling for words today (not exactly because I am too hungry, my body has finally accepted although it took a little longer this time) while I sat down to write for today’s post. So much so that I could not write even after several attempts. Then Asmita di wrote this comment on my last post, and what she wrote struck me- “…this struggle is the struggle of our times until the equilibrium shifts.” (you should read that comment) Which reminds me of our limitations in both space and time as those who fight against the status quo in the hope that some day things will change for better. But struggle against injustice is as perennial as injustice itself. And therefore, imagining that there will be an absolute justice is too naïve an expectation to hold dear. But what this struggle creates is a reminder, a hope perhaps, for those who will have to face a different struggle somewhere else, some later time, that it is worth struggling, like we so often look back to find our hopes.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 17: Day 4 of my fast, day 114 of our chain:

Problem with lies is that when we keep telling them to others, at some point we, ourselves, start believing them. When the State spreads lies, it is called propaganda. But whether a person or a state lies, it still remains a lie. Just the scale changes. You may believe your leadership for whatever reason you want, suspend your own moral compass for hate, or selfish reasons, but you cannot change the nature of lies. And I have not heard a better description of its nature than in the TV series Chernobyl- “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid” The real question is – who pays for that debt?

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah

June 18: Day 5 of my fast, day 115 of our chain:

Why megalomaniac leaders gather such popularity? One of several common characteristics is that they provide easy answers to complex problems –

Are you outraged at your socio-political situation? Muslims are the problem.

You feel economically devastated? Boycott Chinese products.

You do not have jobs? Ambedkar introduced reservation and stole all your jobs.

Feel insecure about scientific-technological situation? Panchgavya has all the remedies.

When you get simple answers to problems that need serious and nuanced efforts, you can easily rest your mind and be satisfied while the fact is that you have made the problem worse. But you were not looking for the solutions to begin with, you just needed some sort of gratification to rest your mind.

Anyway, several of my well-wishers expressed their concern this time too, asked if all this makes any impact. And the honest answer is I don’t know. But what I know is that over the past 115 days, we had twenty people from across the world who joined us, expressed their solidarity and each spread the word to at least few more people. We will keep the chain alive for as long as we can, for as long as we can pass the baton to the next one in the chain. If you think that you can help us in any way, please do. A repost, a comment, a share can go a long way. After all, it takes only a committed minority to bring a revolution, and if you do not know, that minority has a number, it is about 3%.

#ChainFastingForPeace #FastingAgainstFascism #ResignAmitShah