Book Title: Jains Through Time
Author(s): Shilapi Sadhvi
Publisher: Veerayatan

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Page 218
________________ The Jains through Time guru like Acharya Hiravijay Suriji, kindness and compassion towards his subjects took root in his heart. He launched a new religion called Din-e-Illahi that expressed love for all and an equal respect for all religions. History clearly shows that when politics has been guided by religion, it has worked for the welfare of people but when religious guidance ceased, wilfulness, cruelty, oppression and caprice ruled the universe. loses its brightness, its spiritual electricity and its capacity to exert a beneficent influence on the community, and politics will not be able to advance the cause of justice, morality and social welfare within the polity. Today's polluted politics is a glaring example of the consequences of indifference to religion masked by the slogan of secularism. 219 Nowadays people say that religion should keep out of politics and politics should ignore the influence of any religion. We are secular' has become the popular political slogan. But can the two remain indifferent to each other? While it is clear that religion ought not to hanker after power or meddle in its exercise, equally politics should keep away from sectarian prejudice or any controversy involving theology. It should not get involved in sensitive issues like religious ceremony, different beliefs or the performance of rituals. However, religion and politics cannot remain indifferent to each other; because if this happens, religion Why has today's politics become so corrupt? It seems that those at the heart of power have completely lost their direction, they know neither history nor have they any genuine experience of dealing with people. They do not recognise education or culture, or have any dream for social betterment. They simply don't think about things like mutual trust and sympathy, national pride or the enrichment of people's lives. These precepts are at the core of every religion. Religious gurus have knowledge, feelings, ideals, character, inspiration and above all, they are unselfish. They have no hidden agenda. People who have these qualities should stay Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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