4th October 2019
Musings.......
My Gandhi.......
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Gandhiji, the Mahatma as he is known has always been a part of our lives. Growing up in India there will be no single person who wouldn’t have been influenced by Gandhi even in present times. From his picture in the currency notes to Gandhijis famous Talisman in our NCERT school textbooks, he remained a part of our childhood.
Gandhijis talisman aside, in New Delhi where I grew up as a child, Gandhi filled our daily life as in statues in front of the Parliament House, or the Gyara Moorthi statue depicting the Dandi March/ Salt Satyagraha.
Our knowledge on Gandhi evolved from our textbooks. On how he as a child regretted lying to his parents and upheld high moral standards of truthfulness since then, on how he as a young man ate meat to regret it immediately or sought sexual gratification and again repented. Honesty and Truthfulness became the cornerstone of Gandhijis mantra.
Then we learnt of how he went to England to become a barriester and then onwards to South Africa where he had to face the brutal discrimination of apartheid when he was thrown out of a first class carriage in Petermarizburg station.
I vaguely remember then reading about Gandhijis non violence and his struggle for independence. His leadership leading India to independence and Self Rule. His charisma conquering Indian consciousness and his unique methods of struggle including Satyagraha and Non- Violence. Gandhiji taught that tolerance was the ultimate weapon and it took courage for non violent struggle.
Then I got my hands on Gandhijis autobiography “My Experiments with Truth” sometime in my senior school days and my perception about the man changed even further.
I began to see Gandhiji in a completely different way. As Albert Einstein said and I quote “ 'Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.'
Gandhijis views changed over time. He was a man who lived his childhood and youth in the 19th century. We can see a gradual change in his beliefs on Economy, Statecraft as he got older. This could even be attributed to the influence of the brilliant Jawaharlal Nehru-who he anointed as his political successor long before India attained Independence.
The only view of Gandhi that stood the test of time was his relentless pursuit of Hindu- Muslim unity. Of this he was certain and had to pay the price for it through his own life.
Post independence Gandhiji had declared to conduct fast over the amount of 55 Crores due from India to Pakistan - when he was assassinated by Hindutva elements.
It is ironical that successors of such elements are in power now and seem to shed crocodile tears over Gandhiji.
It was even ironical seeing our Prime Minister declaring India Open Defecation Free on Gandhi Jayanti marking 150 years of Gandhi. That only a few days back two Dalit children were beaten to death by upper caste men for defecating openly adds to the totally bizarre situation.
India has a long way to go as far as sanitation is concerned and saying this I am not taking anything away from this governments Swachh Bharat Abhiyan which is a good and should be endorsed.
Something more that bothers me is Gandhiji being blamed and attacked on social media for the death of Bhagat Singh.
Bhagat Singh along with Chandrasekhar Azad, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Battukeshwar were definitely hero’s of our times.
Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary ahead of his times. At a small age of 23 years he was hanged for bombing the then Central Legislative Assembly and throwing pamphlets against the British.
The Right wing fake news creators and trollers fails to realise that Bhagat Singh was in no way a champion of the Right wing. On the contrary, Bhagat Singh’s writings have shown his views as Socialist. He was as anti- facist as they came.
To accuse the Mahatma of being complacent in not getting a Pardon for these revolutionaries, is preposterous.
Gandhiji while concluding the Gandhi- Irvin Pact there is proof that Gandhiji tried his best for the commutation or at the least suspension of sentence which the British did not heed.
Though he had a prescribed anti- revolutionary stance, this part of history must be clarified.
Gandhiji can be considered a man of the century. Who said that assassinating a great man as Gandhi would silence him. Gandhi still lives among us and will continue to live for future generations as long as humanity is existent. It is upto us to not fall for the fake news bigotry and uphold Gandhian values for future generations without dilusion.
There will be oppositions, of course but as Gandhiji himself said “ First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”.
Food for thought.......
RC
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
rohitchennithala.home.blog
My Gandhi.......
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Gandhiji, the Mahatma as he is known has always been a part of our lives. Growing up in India there will be no single person who wouldn’t have been influenced by Gandhi even in present times. From his picture in the currency notes to Gandhijis famous Talisman in our NCERT school textbooks, he remained a part of our childhood.
Gandhijis talisman aside, in New Delhi where I grew up as a child, Gandhi filled our daily life as in statues in front of the Parliament House, or the Gyara Moorthi statue depicting the Dandi March/ Salt Satyagraha.
Our knowledge on Gandhi evolved from our textbooks. On how he as a child regretted lying to his parents and upheld high moral standards of truthfulness since then, on how he as a young man ate meat to regret it immediately or sought sexual gratification and again repented. Honesty and Truthfulness became the cornerstone of Gandhijis mantra.
Then we learnt of how he went to England to become a barriester and then onwards to South Africa where he had to face the brutal discrimination of apartheid when he was thrown out of a first class carriage in Petermarizburg station.
I vaguely remember then reading about Gandhijis non violence and his struggle for independence. His leadership leading India to independence and Self Rule. His charisma conquering Indian consciousness and his unique methods of struggle including Satyagraha and Non- Violence. Gandhiji taught that tolerance was the ultimate weapon and it took courage for non violent struggle.
Then I got my hands on Gandhijis autobiography “My Experiments with Truth” sometime in my senior school days and my perception about the man changed even further.
I began to see Gandhiji in a completely different way. As Albert Einstein said and I quote “ 'Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.'
Gandhijis views changed over time. He was a man who lived his childhood and youth in the 19th century. We can see a gradual change in his beliefs on Economy, Statecraft as he got older. This could even be attributed to the influence of the brilliant Jawaharlal Nehru-who he anointed as his political successor long before India attained Independence.
The only view of Gandhi that stood the test of time was his relentless pursuit of Hindu- Muslim unity. Of this he was certain and had to pay the price for it through his own life.
Post independence Gandhiji had declared to conduct fast over the amount of 55 Crores due from India to Pakistan - when he was assassinated by Hindutva elements.
It is ironical that successors of such elements are in power now and seem to shed crocodile tears over Gandhiji.
It was even ironical seeing our Prime Minister declaring India Open Defecation Free on Gandhi Jayanti marking 150 years of Gandhi. That only a few days back two Dalit children were beaten to death by upper caste men for defecating openly adds to the totally bizarre situation.
India has a long way to go as far as sanitation is concerned and saying this I am not taking anything away from this governments Swachh Bharat Abhiyan which is a good and should be endorsed.
Something more that bothers me is Gandhiji being blamed and attacked on social media for the death of Bhagat Singh.
Bhagat Singh along with Chandrasekhar Azad, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Battukeshwar were definitely hero’s of our times.
Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary ahead of his times. At a small age of 23 years he was hanged for bombing the then Central Legislative Assembly and throwing pamphlets against the British.
The Right wing fake news creators and trollers fails to realise that Bhagat Singh was in no way a champion of the Right wing. On the contrary, Bhagat Singh’s writings have shown his views as Socialist. He was as anti- facist as they came.
To accuse the Mahatma of being complacent in not getting a Pardon for these revolutionaries, is preposterous.
Gandhiji while concluding the Gandhi- Irvin Pact there is proof that Gandhiji tried his best for the commutation or at the least suspension of sentence which the British did not heed.
Though he had a prescribed anti- revolutionary stance, this part of history must be clarified.
Gandhiji can be considered a man of the century. Who said that assassinating a great man as Gandhi would silence him. Gandhi still lives among us and will continue to live for future generations as long as humanity is existent. It is upto us to not fall for the fake news bigotry and uphold Gandhian values for future generations without dilusion.
There will be oppositions, of course but as Gandhiji himself said “ First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”.
Food for thought.......
RC
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
rohitchennithala.home.blog
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