Needless to say that Gandhian ideals have been a guiding path for millions across the world. From time to time, the Gandhian ideas come alive to uphold the cause of humanity. However, in the recent decades, the Gandhian ideals such as peace, non-violence, religious tolerance, communal harmony, humbleness, truth, etc have either been deliberately buried or used for theirs own interests by opportunistic elements. Hence, we need to dig in to understand the actual reality.
Cause to remember great soul -MK Gandhi
First of all let’s find out why we have been commemorating such a half naked, slender, soft spoken person ever after seven decades of his heroic death? Was he a prime minister, billionaire, or religious head? Or,was he responsible or genocide, ethnic cleansing, or war?
Actually, he was none of them. He was a normal person with abnormal capabilities that usually a common human do not possess. Unlike common souls, he had ample courage to speak truth that it might even have potential to damage even his reputation and image. Nevertheless, he, persisted, survived, and even won the battle that have saved the millions lives from being destroyed.
Throughout his entire life, Mk Gandhi was a genuine messenger, propagator, and protector of truth, peace, and non-violence. Even when they stood against UK, mighty imperial power at that time, he never ever caused unrest and violence.
Till death, MK Gandhi stood bravely behind the down-trodden, impoverished, weaker sections and pledged theirs upliftment. It looks too difficult to imagine when you are in the active political life with such a great character and moral authority.
Importance of legacy of Mahatma Gandhi
A man who was always the cause of peace and non-violence; and worked for violence free just and humane society, he deserves due respect. He served for deprived, subjugated and destitute to liberate them from the chronic misery and cycle of mental agony. And inspired millions worldwide with his simplicity, humbleness, and principled behaviour. Isn’t it?
Really, Mahatma Gandhi, the man of civilization builder, with his rigorously practiced noble values and everlasting ideals, shaped cultural landscape. And, proved that he was a great endowment for human world we live in.
Challenges facing legacy of Mahatma Gandhi
In India, when the communal divide, religious intolerance and violence are rising after the rise of communal political parties in power, the need for Gandhian ideals seems indispensable. Here, I’m going to highlight the challenges facing legacy of Mahatma Gandhi in the post independent era of Indian politics.
Unfortunately, nowadays, Gandhian ideals, thoughts are being wrongly propagated by some opportunistic elements to advocate theirs narrow political interests. That’s why we need to reinvent Mahatma Gandhi and his ideals once again to realise just society which he tirelessly fought for.
Politics over Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy
The politics of India has been continuously revolving around the clout of Mahatma Gandhi ever since the arrival of great soul from South Africa in 1915.
Let it be Indian national congress that conveniently used the MK Gandhi’s ideas, influence, thoughts either to advocate the party or target opposition right wing parties for their divisive politics.
On the other hand, Ambedkari organisations and followers have totally assumed that the only hurdle Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar faced during freedom movement was the Gandhi’s non-cooperation.
Contrarily, RSS and BJP affiliated right wing organisations and outfits have theirs own options either to pass the blame on Gandhi for the partition or justify Gandhi’s thought if they favour theirs intention like abolition of cow slaughter.
In short, there are three ways by which Mk Gandhi has been judged for his work he did for nation and humanity at large.
Politicization by Indian National Congress for power
We know that ever since the ascend of Nehru as the Prime Minister of India, the Congress party became the sole guardian of the clout of Gandhi. Since then, the Gandhi name has always been become the safety valve against the opponents, as well as theirs own failures if need arised.
Whenever INC feels that they are going to lose power, or need to regain power, they suddenly become the staunch advocators of Gandhian ideals either to criticize opponents as communal forces or inculcate on the mind of people that they are only well-wishers of nation.
And, they beg vote as being servant of poor, deprived, and minorities as like the architect of Indian independence. So far, they are fond of to chant two mantras – Secularism and Garibi.
Simply, congress party should be labelled as the pioneer for designing the tactics of politicisation of Gandhian ideals for power in the last seven decades and this endeavour is still continue.
Saffronization by RSS and BJP to counter Congress
In India, right wing parties or RSS patronizing organisations have a lot of confusion over the Gandhian ideals whether to follow, or criticize. According to decisions they took time to time, we could conclude that they had and have their convenient policy to act as per the given situation they faced.
What happened in freedom struggle movement?
During freedom movement, factually proved that they didn’t in favour of Gandhi’s decisions but chose side considering the overall situation. For example, RSS never supported the cause of independence and even supported British on the backdrop of second world war. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, a staunch right wing leader, openly supported British by letter and opposed quit India movement in1942.
Second, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a so called thinker and self declared rationalist, was obsessed by hatredness regarding Gandhi as per the letter of Subhas Chandra Bose. Even he went one step forward supporting British for pension. And, finally, he was the cause for MK Gandhi’s assassination in 1948.
Post independence and right wing politics
In the post independent era, all the bandwagon remained silent until leadership in Congress make some mistakes. Immediately after emergency, they got chance for which they were waiting eagerly and backed jayaprakash Narayan to overthrow Indira Gandhi Government in general election. Afterwards, right wing parties and outfits were become active never before.
On the eve of general election in 2014, when the congress was at the centre stage of criticism over rampant corruption and nepotism, hard-line right wing organization suddenly declared that Nathuram Godse who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, was a great patriot.
Contrarily, these organizations claim that the many RSS patrons were associates of Gandhi and deeply influenced by Gandhian ideals whenever the role and policies of these organizations become uncomfortable and attract negative sentiments from public domain.
In this way, like congress, RSS and other right wing organizations always use Gandhian ideals as a safety valve against the opponents to advocate theirs narrow political interests.
Demonization of Mahatma Gandhi by Ambedkari followers
Unlike Congress and RSS, Ambedkari organizations, scholars, and followers have other opinions about the Gandhian thoughts, policies, and ideals. Actually, these people hold Gandhi, as a person, responsible for the hardship of Ambedkar in the course of freedom struggle.
Absolutely, they assumed that it was the Gandhi’s non-cooperation or opposition to Ambedkar which resulted in the slow pace of reforms and development of downtrodden. Even Ambedkar wrote book blaming Congress and Gandhi’s titling “What Congress and Gandhi did for untouchables?
They claimed and blames today that it was the Gandhi who didn’t permit Ambedkar to do much for the welfare of backward communities, and took credit of being saviour of harijan. Even they moved one step ahead to criticize Gandhi as a person for his controversial private life, such as” experiments of brahmacharya”.
However, till today, not much political benefit is garnered on the basis of such Gandhi-Ambedkar rivalry by these advocators. They, in this course of time, forgotten who did historical injustice against them- Gandhi or right wing?
Last thought on misusing legacy of Mahatma Gandhi
Overall, the entire political fraternity, including left, right, and revolutionaries had been theirs own judgements about Gandhi and either hold him responsible for unfavourable they received, or credit him as a saviour in case of credit crisis. But, in reality, the true legacy of Mahatma Gandhi is still not understood by the people who call him as their father of nation.
Undoubtedly, it is the global community, including Einstein, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and many more, who had been remembering the great soul for his noble cause, and even today, attribute the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi as a strong inspiration for them
What would be the state of Indian people in future?
Unfortunately, the rush to misuse of Gandhian ideals and legacy by both forces in India will only prove counter productive for everyone. Think about Indian National Congress, they have already lost theirs political base and confined mere in the certain pockets of country. Even they don’t have rank of opposition in the lok sabha.
Second, except handful people, the down-trodden are in the dire situation. They face lot of atrocities, discrimination, and exploitation though there are stringent laws. They have their bandwagon of leadership to advocate theirs interests but the whole attempts are proved futile.
Third, what is the present state of right wing hindu outfit or BJP? They have already tarnished the reputation of country by being vocal on disputed issues. International community had already reminded BJP government about Gandhi’s legacy when there are incidents of religious intolerance are on rise against minorities. Lynching, bulldozer rule, hate speeches, aggression, are some reasons that might plunge the reputation and popularity of BJP in the coming days.
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