CENTRE FOR POLICY STUDIES was launched on October 2, 1995, the 126th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, with the object of providing a forum for the intellectual, the academic and the expert to interact, focusing on issues and policies of contemporary relevance. Over 250 meetings, seminars and round-table discussions have been held during the last 24 years. On October 2,1996 the bi-monthly Bulletin of Centre for Policy Studies was started the 139 issue of which was released on October 2,2019 the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Publications of CPS: A Study on Street Children in Visakhapatnam, brought out by the Centre was released by Dr. Abid Hussain, former Ambassador, in December 1996. Emancipation Before Empowerment — A Study of Women’s Problems in Visakhapatnam, was released by Shri P.V.Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister, in August, 1999. A booklet on Values in Higher Education by former Vice Chancellor Dr. B.Sarveswara Rao and Education and Technology — Challenges of a Paradigm by Dr. RVR Chandrasekhara Rao, former Vice Chancellor. A book on the Impact of Electronic Media on Women, Visakhapatnam, 2010. Decennial Volume, a collection of CPS Bulletin articles, Footprints of Divinity, A Gandhi Reader. Prof. M.N.Sastri’s three books: The Profligate Civilisation - Essays on Energy and Environment, 2007, World Demographic Trends, 2011 and The Nuclear Genie, 2014. Education, Development and Culture - Essays in honour of Sri Vavilala Seetaramaiah on June 26, 2009. Dialogue and Democracy Four Volumes - Reflections on Ideas and Issues and CPS Bulletin Editorials. The Hundredth Bulletin, 2013. Shri Challa Sivasankaram’s two books on Religion andPhilosophy. Dr.R.V.Vaidyanatha Ayyar: Unfashionable Thoughts – 2015 20th Anniversary Commemoration Volume, 2015. Dr.(Mrs.) Prema Nandakumar: Matter’s Logic and Spirit’s Dreams, 2016. Shri Gopal Subramanium: Constitutional Morality – Is it a dilemma for the state courts and citizens? 2016. In December 2018, “Law, Justice and Human Values” by Prof. (Dr.)R.Venkata Rao, Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. All publications of Centre for Policy Studies are distributed free of cost. HOMAGE TO MAHATMA GANDHI AN ANTHOLOGY Edited and compiled by A. Prasanna Kumar CENTRE FOR POLICY STUDIES VISAKHAPATNAM October 2019 INDEX 1. The Doctrine of the Sword (1920) 1 2. Bapu 4 3. Bapu - The Perfect Artist 6 4. ‘An Extraordinary Paradox’ 7 5. Gandhi’s Martyrdom 8 6. The Poet’s Verdict 10 7. Gandhi’s Religion and Politics 11 8. Satyagraha 13 9. Mahatma Gandhi: His Message for Mankind 14 10. The Lasting Contribution of a Great Father and Worthy Son 16 11. Gandhi in His Many Aspects 17 12. The Ba Bapu Saga 31 13. Great Martyrdom 34 14. Mahatma – The Pilgrim of Eternity 35 15. Gandhi – A Memoir 40 16. Mahatma Gandhi 49 17. Gandhi’s Spiritual Authority 50 18. Homage from a Man of the West to Gandhi 52 19. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, 54 Center for Peace and Justice in Tamil Nadu 20. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment 57 Guarantee Scheme 21. Mahatma’s Legacy 61 22. Gandhi, the Journalist 64 23. Gandhi and Journalism 76 24. Gandhiji’s Concept of Good Governance-Its Relevance 87 25. Power, Violence and Society - a Gandhian Approach 92 26. Pinakini Satyagraha (Gandhi) Ashramam 97 27. Gandhi before India - Ramachandra Guha 103 28. Why Gandhi Still Matters - an Appraisal 106 of the Mahatma’s Legacy 29. Gandhi and Applied Spirituality 109 30. Gandhi, Nehru and India’s Independence 112 31. Mahatma on India after Aug15, 1947 122 Editorials 32. Mahatma Gandhi’s Last Birthday 126 33. Man, Machine and the Mahatma 128 34. India — Seventy years after Mahatma Gandhi 130 35. Mahatma Gandhi and the Power of Satyagraha 132 36. Nonviolence is a ‘living force’ 134 37. Gandhian Legacy 136 38. Mahatma Gandhi on Khadi 138 39. Gandhiji’s Dream 140 40. Father Forgive Us! 142 41. Gandhiji’s Satyagraha 144 42. Servant of Humanity 146 43. Gandhiji’s Idea of Independence 148 44. What Gandhiji means to us 150 45. Mahatma’s Message 152 46. Debt of Gratitude 154 47. Homage to the Mahatma 156 48. Gandhiji - ’the Practical Idealist’ 158 49. Remembering Gandhiji 160 50. Martyrdom of the Mahatma 162 51. Gandhiji, U.N. and World Peace 164 52. “No Ordinary Light” 166 53. ‘A Beacon for the Whole World...’ 168 54. “The Greatest Treasure” 169 55. Gandhi Bhavan, Kakinada - A Profile 171 PREFACE Centre for Policy Studies was born on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, in 1995. Exactly on the same day in 1996 was launched its bimonthly Bulletin with Gandhiji’s picture on its masthead. The 139th issue of the Bulletin, with the editorial on Mahatma Gandhi’s Last Birthday, has come out on October 2, 2019, on the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. This compilation of articles and editorials published in the Bulletin, during the last twenty three years, is a humble homage to that spirit that continues to illumine our path. Besides the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, some great publications have come out during the last seventy two years - Radhakrishnan’s Mahatma Gandhi, Rajmohan Gandhi’s THE GOOD BOATMAN, MOHANDAS and WHY GANDHI STILL MATTERS, S. Gopal’s Jawaharlal Nehru - An Anthology, William Shirer’s Gandhi - A Memoir, Ramachandra Guha’s monumental trilogy INDIA AFTER GANDHI, Gandhi BEFORE INDIA and GANDHI the years that changed the world, among others, which contain a wealth of information on the life, work and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The aim of the small CPS publication is to remind ourselves of the inexhaustible treasure we have and to kindle the interest of the people, especially of the younger generation, so that genuine efforts will be made to replace hate with love and violence with peace. In 2005 when Centre for Policy Studies completed ten years, a small book of 146 pages titled Footprints of Divinity, A Gandhi Reader was brought out, inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s memorable line to Gandhiji: “When you had taken your leave I found God’s footprints on my floor.” It’s second edition came out in 2010 and the third in 2015. ‘A beacon’, ‘an extraordinary paradox’ and ‘no ordinary light’ was how Gandhiji was described. “Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth” wrote Einstein. During their visit to India, Christian missionaries from Europe felt that Christ lived at Sevagram. Rajaji saw a parallel in the death of Sri Krishna and Gandhi – life sucked away by a hunter’s arrow then and by an assassin’s bullet in 1948. Rajmohan Gandhi saw in his grandfather another epic hero Rama who went into exile when he should have been crowned. The devout saw in Gandhiji Sri Rama’s adherence to Truth and Dharma, Sri Krishna’s great message through the Bhagavadgita and Jesus Christ’s suffering and sacrifice. Atheists and rationalists were struck by the practical approach of Gandhiji. To Nehru, Gandhi appeared in different avatars - as ‘a perfect artist’ in life and death and ‘a king’ in loin cloth and bare body. The man who led the greatest mass movement and the most peaceful revolution in human history was no ordinary mortal. Like the Buddha and Christ he lived and died for the poor and the downtrodden. The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi is of everlasting value and relevance. “At Gandhiji’s call India blossomed forth to new greatness, just as two thousand six hundred years ago when the Buddha proclaimed the truth of fellow feeling and compassion among all living creatures,” wrote Rabindranath Tagore. ‘‘I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills,’’ declared the Mahatma with characteristic humility. He was aware of the hazards of ideological obsession and doctrinaire rigidity. His advice was polite but firm. ‘‘There is no such thing as Gandhism. I do not want to leave any sect after me. No literature or propaganda is needed about it. Those who believe in the simple truths I have laid down can propagate them only by living them’’ he said having seen the devastation caused by two world wars and the massacres perpetrated in his time by the Nazis and Fascists. The Mahatma led India’s March to Freedom climaxing in the unfurling of the Union Jack and hoisting the tri-colour Indian national flag at the midnight hour of August 14,1947. On that historic day of India’s independence, the Father of the Nation was fasting and praying for communal harmony in the house of a poor Muslim family in Beliaghat. There was no respite for him in his relentless crusade for communal harmony. For the Mahatma living in the midst of unstoppable violence was excruciatingly painful. On his last birthday began his March to Martyrdom. The 120 days that followed gave him great disappointment, if not sadness. Reports of growing corruption, ‘from trustworthy sources’, disagreement between Nehru and Patel and agitations for separate statehood in some parts of the country so distressed him that he disavowed his wish to live for 125 years. Said the Mahatma: “If I had earlier had the impertinence to state my wish to want to live to be 125, I must now have the humility under the changed circumstances openly to shed that wish. In stating my new wish I have done no more. And I have done so not in a state of depression. The more apt term perhaps is helplessness”. “It is my hope that when I die I shall die with Ramanama in my heart. I am sustained by Ramanama,” he said two months and twenty two days before his death.