Mahatama Gandhi- The first Indian to attain independence after making struggle in the freedom movement following the principles of non-violence, truthfulness and co-existence, enlightened the public for independence i.e Pooran Swaraj.
Born on 2nd October, 1869 in Rajkot
(Gujarat) in Dewan family, after passing the matriculation examination qualified himself as Barrister-in-Law-in England and proved to be the greatest son of the soil.
As we are celebrating the Children Day on 14 Nov in the Educational Institutions which has coincidence with the birthday of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru- Cha-Cha Nehru. Similarly 2nd October is celebrated on the Birthday Anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi hereinafter-called Bapu Gandhi.
Universally Mahatma Gandhi had great passion, love and affection for the children as Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru had and was called Cha Cha Nehru in the second decade in the same manner, Mahatma Gandhi is memorised as Bapu Gandhi on his Birth Anniversary. If we recollect the memories in our school days time i.e some times between 1954 – 1965 and even thereafter, the school children used to wear white caps on their heads.
Mahatma Gandhi has distinguishable, tremendous and unmatchable services to his credit which cannot be obliterated from the history of India. He had the mission for transformation of society into an egalitarian through social reforms. His recognition in terms of his statesmanship, aspirations and perception for peace and tranquility, equality of human beings irrespective of caste, creed and colour are worth comprehensible and source of new enlightment to the modern and next generation.
He followed the philosophy and ideologies of non-violence, truthfulness – an ultimatum for realistic prevalence not only in India but also across the world over. His symbolic characteristic is praiseworthy for his ambition of converting the knowledgeable society into egalitarian society.
His main emphasis and focus was on the abolition of unstouchability – the enforcement of any disability arising out of Untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law. Later on, this was incorporated in Article 17 which has been implemented by the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 whose earlier title being The Untouchability (Offence) Act, 1955″. Subsequently Article was put under the head Abolition of Ttitles as (1) No title not being a military or academic distinction shall be conferred by the states (2) No citizen of India shall accept any title from any foreign state (3) No person who is not a citizen of India, while he holds any office of profit or trust under the state, accept without the consent of the President any title from any foreign state (4) No person holding any office of profit or trust under the state, accept without the consent of the President accept ANY PRESENT ENROLMENT or office of profit of any kind from or under any foreign state.
Like NBT which is now largest publishing house in India covering wide range of topics – social sciences, arts, biographies, science and technology, there are several books like Hind Swaraj which exhibit their application across the country as well as the world over on the ideologies and philosophy of Mahatama Gandhi and their ostentatiously exhibiting. The theory preached by Mahatma is eternal and for all times will remain as a force to recken and will rule the humanity.
In December 1929, under Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru leadership and with the blessing of Mahatama Gandhi, the Indian National Congress (motivated for freedom struggle) at its Lahore Session resolved and declared Pooran Swaraj complete independence to be the goal of the national movement.
At the time of partition of India, with the help of Sardar Valabh Bhai Patel, the Deputy Prime Minister, hereinafter called the Iron Man of India, the goal was to integrate the states into Indian Union falling within the jurisdiction of India, except Junagarh, Kashmir and Hyderabad . Kashmir remained as problem and undecided for a long time.
Even after the Constitution of India came into force on 26th Jan. 1950 in the form of India as Sovereign, Democratic Republic, India followed the ideologies and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi wherein the priorities remained for friendly relations with the neighbouring countries which became as one of widening concentric circles, around a central axis of historical and cultural commonalty.
Later on, following the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, under the dynamic leadership of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, India became the founder member of the Non-Aligned Movement and played an active role in strengthening the movement and making it an effective voice in representing the collective aspirations and interests of the developing countries on the vital issues of peace and harmony.
The significance of his dynamical leadership in the pre-drawn period for peace and tranquility on the basis of brotherhood is praiseworthy and commendable across world over to which ultimately China was compelled to declare unilateral ceasefire.
He had the passion and vision for non-violence and progress of the nation by enlightening the masses by way of educating them by implementing the rural development programmes, advocated to wear Khaddar rather using Swadeshi goods and pleaded that villages must be made self-suffcient. He was having great aspiration for conversion of society into comprehensible modernisation form. He believed that if mankind behaves arrogantly and uses the word ‘belong to me’ instead of ‘belong to ours’ then it is required to get rid of the machines to make mankind as universal well wisher.
Like Swami Viveknanda, Swami Dayanand Sarswati, Mahatma Gandhi had the passion of peace and harmony, equality of human being, advocated strong desire and conception of contemplation of children’s mindset to insinuate the reality of egalitarian society – a society for attainment of equal rights. He had the perception that the wealth of the nation lies in generating faith, confidence, and mindset of the children and youth who could realise the reality of life in the contemporary India. He had visual perception that human suffering, misery, illiteracy; superstitions are the root causes of poverty and backwardness of the nation and untochoability should be abolished from the society. He pleaded for the richness of the nation through educating the youth and exploiting their disposition, energies and potentials. He believed that the youth have to be infused with the contemplation that the futuristic destiny of India is dependent upon youth who should be designed in a shape and manner so as to meet the requirement of the nation in a changed fashion.
He gave the ultimatum to the freedom movement and method of struggle; ” Any great movement for liberation today most necessarily be a mass movement, and mass movements must essentially be peaceful, except in times of organised revolt….. And if the principal movement is a peaceful one, contemporaneous attempts at a sporadic violence can only distract attention and weaken it”.
Let us take pledge to commemorate the memories of our great leader Mahatma Gandhi whose ideologies and philosophy will be followed from generation to generation in the educational institutions and other associated establishments relating to the educations so as to disseminate and give wide publicity to his heroic characteristics, great personality and traits not only in India but across the world over.
Isher Singh Jasrotia