We can’t deny the fact that our society has reached its full attainment and is progressing to its maximum. But had we ever seen our society at its ground level? How many evils are still prevailing in our society, this villainy has shaken the roots of our morality. May be the parent root of all the evils present in our society is our mindset. Our mindset is the place where all the evils starts and ends. Till the time we won’t change our perspective on looking things these evils never cut its roots. The surprising action is that our society has reached at the level of villainy that people are compelled to wash hands from their lives! If I put an important thing into consideration that is our Prophet (PBUH) has said “When a man gets married his half religion is completed” and “Those who do not follow my practice are not from me”. The ill practice of dowry has become the major evil and also we spent huge in marriages denying the fact that our poor brothers can’t afford the same.
Westernization has become one more social evil that is seen in our society. Undoubtedly, westernization has brought some positive aspect in our society but that doesn’t mean we should totally forget our culture and jump towards westernization. We have completely forgotten our culture, traditions, customs, and values and have adopted the western lifestyle. Honestly, when we see around do we see anything according our culture? The answer is maybe nothing or to minimum. We have ruined it all by our hands, we have completely turned our dressing sense, food, way of talking, everything towards westernization. Unfortunately we have said goodbye to our modesty and gratitude. The fact is that we are now feeling shy while talking in our own language. We are eradicating the roots of our culture.
Nowadays drug addiction has become one of the most dangerous evils among youths. According to the national survey of 2019, about 2.1% of the country’s population uses the substances which contain opium, heroin, pharmaceutical, codeine, etc. Drug abuse in Kashmir is so rampant, with the main rehabilitation facility in Srinagar reporting a 2660% increase in patients seeking treatment since 2016, primarily for heroin addiction. The number of people who require help is twice the national average. Addicts are rich and poor, employed or unemployed and overwhelmingly young. Drug addicts not only affect themselves, but those around them too. Usage of drugs increases your risk of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, abnormal heart rates and what not. Question arises here why people take hold of drugs? May be because of stress, want to escape from truth, or give oneself a temporary relief.
Drug addicts are the people who always remain unsuccessful in their lives because their minds are bound with negativity, they can’t make decisions regarding their lives as they always remain in an unconscious state of affairs. What is the fun of such a life where we escape from our problems and find harmful escape routes?
We have a strong parallel order of headmen, spiritualists, preachers, educators and even reformists. What has been their contribution to eradicate these social evils that have been lurking for decades? Whatever the context of current social evils, the civil society should expand the area of response. Religion no doubt forms the bedrock of social reform and can be employed as an effective tool to mend the social behaviors but the magnitude of this problem requires more than a religious sermon.
(Author is a student and hails from Batamaloo, Srinagar)
