We were raised with that discussion about violence and non-violence, and we all pretty much came up on the side of non-violence. That became my foundation with politics and my livelihood.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I've always been strongly on the side of non-violence.
I never supported violence. Before the formation of TMC, I was a member of the Congress Party. Gandhi's Congress. Non-violence is a philosophy that runs deep.
When I recall my own path of life I cannot but speak of the violence, hatred and lies. A lesson drawn from such experiences, however, was that we can effectively oppose violence only if we ourselves do not resort to it.
All of my life I have stayed away from violence and the instruments of violence, and have seen a legal, democratic struggle as the only means to achieve change.
I do not hold to non-violence for moral reasons, but for political and practical reasons.
I was motivated to write about violence because I believe it's not unusual. I see it as just a part of life, and I think we get in trouble when we separate people who've experienced it from those who haven't.
The foundation of my beliefs is the same as it was when I was 10. Non-violence.
I was raised in a very activist household so that I grew up surrounded by people who were activists.
I was involved in the anti-war movement.
Politics for me started in violence.