International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-10 (2), October, 2016 Impact Factor: 4.535; Email: [email protected] Keynote Address on Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in Contemporary Society Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra Ex-Deputy Director, National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi. Mahatma Gandhi popularly known as sixty-three years of his death Gandhi Bapu or Father of the Nation is tallest continues to attract the attention of among the leaders of the world of the 20th scholars, social activists, media, policy century ever produced. He is remembered makers and dreamers not only in India all over the world for his love of peace, but throughout globe. non-violence, truth, honesty, pristine purity, compassion and his success in Present world is passing through a using these instruments to bring together critical phase of human history and is in the entire population and helping the search of an alternative. Liberalisation, country to attain independence from the privatisation and globalisation are not colonial power and show the new way to only reshaping the economy of the people the world. Gandhi was a creative man and nation but fundamentally reshaping and responding to the challenges of his culture, ideology, attitude and life style of time and setting example for present and the people across the world. Everywhere future generations. Albert Einstein, the one can see the fundamental change. great scientist rightly said that Small is being replaced by mega. Invisible “Generations to come will scare believe became visible. There is a mad race for that such a one as this ever in flesh and materialistic development resulting in blood walked upon this earth” Gandhi alienation of people from society and changed the course of history and created nature and resorting to violence of history. He was a man of principles, great different type. Everywhere structural convictions and always practiced what he violence has increased. Service and need preached. There was no dichotomy is replaced by greed. Ethics and honesty between theory and practice and between is no longer pivotal in public life. There is public and private life. He left an crisis after crises, corruption after everlasting impact on the world at large corruption and ultimately people are because he always spoke and understood sufferer. Marxism provided an alternative the language of the masses, socially to Capitalism. Due to inherent deprived and downtrodden. Even after contradiction Marxian experiments www.ijar.org.in 1 International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-10 (2), October, 2016 Impact Factor: 4.535; Email: [email protected] failed. Liberalism and neo-liberalism are until and unless humanity realizes what also not able to solve the human miseries. Gandhi meant when he said, that People hope lies in Gandhism which economics is untrue which ignores and provide an alternative. disregards moral values. Gandhi in his The Gandhian principles are capable various speeches and in his articles of mitigate the greatest challenge of the written throughout the freedom struggle modern age. The most urgent need of spoke highly of democratic today is the abolition of human suffering. decentralization and rural development. Gandhi’s philosophy becomes pertinent In the 22nd July, 1946 issue of Harijan, in the present world due to the Gandhi stated that ‘Independence must complexity of human behaviour. His begin at the bottom’. He said, “the swaraj philosophy, laying stress on the goodness of my dreams is the poor man’s swaraj. of human nature, unity of mankind, The necessaries of life should be enjoyed service of man, application of moral by you in common with those enjoyed by principles considered valid for individuals the princes and the moneyed men. But to group life and inter-state relations, the that does not mean that you should have non-violent process of change, social and palaces like theirs. They are not economic equality, economic and political necessary for happiness. You or I would decentralization, tries to resolve the be lost in them. But you ought to get all various kinds of tensions that disturb the ordinary amenities of life that a rich domestic and international harmony. It is man enjoys. I have not the slighest capable of strengthening the forces of dought that swaraj is not Poorn Swaraj love, creativeness and joy of life and until these amenities are guaranted to beauty. It takes an integrated view of you under it”. man and emphasizes his spiritual nature. Gandhiji found the picture of his Gandhi provides an answer and an free India in its essentials embodied in a alternative, which is above all, a ray of song that was sung at one of his evening hope, a vision for future and a blue print prayers in Banghi Colony, New Delhi. for individual, state and society. The What emerged was a picture of the India interpretations of Gandhian thought and of his dreams. It was as follows: perspective needs to be reiterated again and again till the masses learn to adopt We are inhabitants of a country and practice it in their thought and deed. where there is no sorrow and no Gandhi provides solution to the suffering, contemporary dilemmas and conflicts Where there is no illusion nor anguish, arising out due to failure of no delusion nor desire, developmental paradigms and failure of Where flows the Ganges of love leadership. Even the welfare state is not and the whole creation is full of joy, responding as it was expected. The Where all minds flow in one direction, tragedy of modern India is that the and where there is no occasion for sense important aspects of the Gandhian of time, philosophy are not given serious All there wants satisfied; attention. The ruling elite never realized Here all barter is just, that Gandhi was much ahead of time. Here all are cast in same mould, The quest of humanity for social justice Here is no lack nor care, and sustainability will remain a dream No selfishness in any shape or form, www.ijar.org.in 2 International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-10 (2), October, 2016 Impact Factor: 4.535; Email: [email protected] No high no low, no master no slave; Lal Nehru in his soul- stirring speech in All is light, yet no burning heat, the midnight of August 14-15, 1947. It That country is within you- was “ending of poverty and ignorance It is Swaraj, Swadeshi, and disease and inequality of The home within you- opportunity”. Mahatma Gandhi also Victory! Victory! Victory! prescribed a set of stiff yardsticks for He realizes it who longs for it. judging the efficacy of public policies in a India achieved independence on system of good governance. He said, “Will 15 August 1947. Indian man became a it restore to him (the poorest and the citizen from a subject. But, in Gandhi/s weakest man) control over his own life words, we did not get freedom, that is, and destiny? In other words will it lead to Swaraj ( self-rule). He wanted not only a Swaraj for the hungry and spiritually new citizen for India but for the rest of starving millions?” To achieve these the world who would we ‘visionary’. His objectives the Directive Principles of vision was to consider the whole world a State Policy was provided in the single ‘family’. His philosophy and goal of Constitution, which are not justiciable development had to be inspired by but nonetheless are fundamental to the ‘Sarvodaya’ ( development of all). His governance of the country. But the principles and methods were to be based Indian state has without a doubt failed in on ‘Truth and Nonviolence’. He was to its responsibilities towards its citizens wage a relentless battle against injustice. over the last 60 odd years. He was to use ‘Satyagraha’ ( self- suffering) to change the heart of the To reestablish and reaffirm the opponent. faith Gandhi wrote Hind swaraj. Hind Swaraj is a manifesto for a new world Such a new man will be able to order based on supremacy of ethics and replace hatred with love, competition morality over matter. It represents voice with cooperation, and interdependence of the voiceless, voice of the common man will be his basic principle of life. He will of India, and even of the common people bring peace, tranquility, and harmony in of the whole world. Hind Swaraj raises the world. The new man will tell India fundamental questions. India’s encounter and the world that we need not adopt war with Britain was not political and or flee, or be subservient to resolve economic but civilizational. Even today, conflict and difference. He will tell us the situation is no different from the one that we can match our soul force against when Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj. Hind the physical force and wear the other Swaraj is a Gandhi’s response to the down with goodwill. It is possible to have immediate, contemporary problems the ‘new man’ by internalizing and arising out of inner and outer conflicts at practicing Gandhi’s thoughts, words, and individual, state and society level. Hind deeds. Salvation for a strife-ridden world Swaraj also provides a vision, strategies, lies in having Gandhi’s ‘New Man’ who blueprint to future and an alternative to will consider the whole world a joint solve the contemporary problems. Future family. hope lies in Hind Swaraj. In fact Hind Swaraj is the Gandhian bible; it is the The objective of the governance sacred book the Father of the Nation in India was set by the Pandit Jawahar gave to country, truly the Gita of the www.ijar.org.in 3 International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-10 (2), October, 2016 Impact Factor: 4.535; Email: [email protected] nationalist era.