THE LEGEND OF TRUTH & NON VIOLENCE CALLING FOR MAHATMA AGAIN! 1ST OCTOBER 2010 ISSUE

  By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

1st October 2010 Issue-

              THE LEGEND OF TRUTH & NON VIOLENCE

                                    

                                 CALLING FOR MAHATMA AGAIN!

Another Gandhi Jayanthi has come and will go. People will enjoy the National Holiday. There will be few functions organized by the Governments and Political parties to celebrate the birthday of Mahatma. There will also be speeches made by many Netas in praise of Gandhi without actually knowing anything about him. And that will be the end of another Gandhi Jayanthi for this year. And for today’s generation, Gandhi Jayanti means Gandhiji, who further is associated with Gandhigiri which is depicted in a recent Hindi film which fortunately became a hit. Besides, since Gandhi Jayanthi is also observed as a ‘dry’ day, there will be also be people; addicted to drinking who would curse the day Gandhiji was born as they have to forego their quota of drinks. Frankly speaking Gandhi Jayanti for people today is merely a National Holiday.

Of course, Mahatma Gandhi who was a Great Soul is above all these descriptions. It is better to call him Mahatma rather than Gandhiji as there is an imminent danger of people getting the impression that he is the founder of Gandhi dynasty starting from Indira Gandhi to the present Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi which will be further extended to their future children.

KNOWING THE MAHATMA

Forget about all these cynicisms and let us understand who Gandhiji really was? In simple words, Gandhiji was a Mahatma that is Mahan Atma. He may not be a successful lawyer but he was definitely an outstanding advocate of human rights, democracy, non-violence and above all, truth. He was a man who hardly tolerated any sort of discrimination between human races and most importantly, he practiced what he preached.

Gandhiji introduced Truth and non-violence weapons to fight the mighty British empire, who had enslaved India and also provided a moral leadership to crores of Indians who were crying for Independence from British Rule.

THE BEGINNING

Gandhiji started his experiment with truth and non violence in South Africa where he had gone to eke out a living as a pleader. South Africa at that time was also under the British rule and the discrimination between Whites and Blacks, implying Indian labours, changed his life. The Indian community in South Africa was being humiliated and insulted by the whites in every conceivable means and they were not even allowed to mingle with the whites who treated them as bonded labours. They were also not allowed to travel in trains and buses along with the whites. In fact, Gandhiji himself was once thrown out of the first class compartment despite having the first class ticket. He then organized the Indians, most of whom were mine workers to protest the discrimination by the British in South Africa.

Gandhiji mesmerized the world with his agitations through the weapons of Non violence and truth. The protestors did not protest the police brutality on them and their imprisonment. Gandhiji along with many Indian leaders were also beaten up and sent to Jail, but still the protest continued. Indians willingly went to Jails and ultimately there was shortage of space in the jails for them. Despite the police brutality and Government’s racist approach, the agitation went on unabated.

Finally, the mighty British were forced to start dialogue with Gandhiji for ending the agitation. Gandhiji having become the undisputed leader of Indian community in South Africa was all humble throughout the talks. He never showed arrogance which is a common character of our present Netas. General Smuts who held discussions with Gandhiji was very much impressed with his honesty and simplicity and most people would not know the fact that General Smuts in later years, came to India to pay respects to Gandhiji who was then leading the Indian freedom struggle. He called him the ‘Great Soul’ that is Mahatma and also presented him a pair of chappals which he had made with his own hands. It may be mentioned that General Smuts was the symbol of British Sovereignty in South Africa and Gandhiji was a symbol of challenge to British Empire when he was leading a strong protest in SA. Demands of Indian community in South Africa were finally met by the British Government.

THE HOMECOMING

Of course, Gandhiji’s Non-violence and truth based agitation did catch the imagination of the people world over. During that time, the freedom struggle in India was also taking a firm ground. Balgangadhar Tilak, Gopalakrishna Gokhale etc had become the leading figures. They too were attracted by Gandhiji’s style of agitation and wanted him to lead the Indian freedom struggle. Gandhiji returned to India and before taking up the leadership of freedom moment, he toured the entire length and breadth of the country to understand the problems of the people in its entirety. He realized that Indian society needed reforms along with freedom from British rule. Such was the appeal of Mahatma Gandhi that anybody who would come into his contact would change his life style. Motilal Nehru, the highest paid advocate sacrificed everything to join Gandhiji and so did Sardar Vallababhai Patel, a leading legal luminary of India. And the list continues.

SOCIAL UPLIFTMENT

Gandhiji led the freedom movement as well as the social reform movement. The dalits, who were treated as the most oppressed section of the society, were excluded from social mingling and they were not even allowed to enter temples and draw water from the community wells. They were also weak economically. To bring them to main stream Gandhiji called them Harijans meaning the loved ones of Hari, the Vishnu and led the movement to allow them entry into temples and also tried to uplift them economically. He also lived in harijan bastis.

While taking up the social reforms, the Mahatma provided an effective and innovative leadership to the freedom movement. Until then, the Congress which was leading the movement was not a mass party and its membership was restricted to a few educated people. After assuming the Congress leadership, Gandhiji opened the membership to all and provided moral leadership to it.

TRIUMPH OF NON VIOLENCE

Gandhiji never aspired for any position either to himself or his family members and he was never an office bearer of the Congress. He fought the British through multiple agitations. His Swadeshi movement aimed at protecting the Indian craftsman gave a big blow to the British economy. His promotion of Khadi provided gainful employment to millions of people and his non co-operation movement shattered the morale of the British government. People refused to pay taxes to the government. And invariably, all his agitations were based on non-violence as he never tolerated violence. In fact, he called off his non violent agitation when few agitators enraged by the behaviour of police burnt the Police Station after locking up the police in Chouri Choura.

His Salt Satyagraha electrified the freedom movement and the entire world was surprised at the ultimate level of non-violence. The Quit India movement in 1942 was a watershed in the freedom movement. The British could not control or rule India anymore and were finally forced to terminate their rule in India and India became an independent country. However, the British succeeded in dividing the country by forming Pakistan and what happened thereafter is a sad history.

ONE MAN ARMY

Mahatma was a guide, philosopher, teacher and preacher to the entire nation. Politically, he had the uncanny character of reading the pulse of the people. Socially he had realized that unless the Indian society gets rid of caste and communal discrimination, it can not progress. Economically he advocated the ‘trusteeship’ concept and his economic policy is relevant even today. Religiously, he was for harmony between the communities as he knew well that this is the only way to progress. As Lord Mountbatten described, Gandhiji was a “one man army”. His one word was enough to bring the nation to a halt.

Gandhiji wanted the Congress which symbolised freedom struggle to wind up after the nation got freedom. According to him, the Congress had outlived its utility after it got the freedom but nobody heeded to Gandhi’s wishes.

HISTORY REPEATS

As on now, the Indian economy is again in the grips of foreign countries. Farmers are committing suicides, the village industries; small industries have already become non-existent. Morality has gone down the drain. There is politics of hatred and communal divide. Politics has become a dirty word and has been commercialized. Corruption has become a part and parcel of the society and politics and bureaucracy have become highly profitable ventures.

WAITING FOR THE MAHATMA…..?

Arguably, Mahatma is more relevant today than at anytime. He gave us the freedom from alien rule. And now, the time has come to start a movement against hunger, poverty, corruption, communal tendencies, social evils etc. But we lack a leader who could steer the country out of these ills. And Mahatma would definitely fit in the scene. But the question is-where is Mahatma?