use of force or even violence to maintain order

लोकयात्रार्थमेवेह धर्मप्रवचनं कृतम्।

अहिंसासाधुहिंसेति श्रेयान् धर्मपरिग्रहः॥

महाभारते शान्ति पर्वणि १५-४९

lokayātrārthameveha dharmapravacanaṁ kṛtam|

ahiṁsāsādhuhiṁseti śreyān dharmaparigrahaḥ||

mahābhārate śānti parvaṇi 15-49

A great quote from Shanti Parvam of Mahabharatham. It states crisply what Dharma is in words and spirits

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The rules and regulations and prescriptions are provided in texts of Dharma only for the purpose of upkeep of order and propriety in the life of people and the state as a whole

When it comes to the question of deciding whether non violence should be followed or whether violence should be resorted to to keep order and to prevent some deviation from dharma, the decision is to be taken entirely keeping in mind the fact that Dharma should be maintained at any cost.

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Violence and non violence are just means to an end.. and the end is the welfare of the people and upkeep of propriety..

If non violence is followed where Dharma takes the beating such non violence is of no use.. Maybe such non violence, passivity and inaction would be a sin bordering on crime.

But that does not mean we can resort to violence and high handed action just in the guise of maintaining Dharma..

Diligent balancing between propriety and civility should be the distinctive feature of cultured existence..