October - 2015 Odisha Review Concept of Swaraj and Mahatma Gandhi : A Critical Analysis Dhananjaya Kumar Rout INTRODUCTION: as a method for social change. He had a vision of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the Swaraj and his concept of Swaraj was just like greatest leader of the Indian independence Rama Rajya or kingdom of God on the earth. 3 movement in British-ruled India. Employing non- During the period when Gandhi¶s violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to freedom movement acquired its mass base, he independence and inspired movements for civil again and again defined and explained the concept rights and freedom across the world.1 He is of Swaraj as the goal of freedom struggle, in popularly known as Bapu (father of nation) who terms of political, economic, social and moral dominated the national movement of India from rights of the downtrodden and exploited Indian 1919 to 1947. He was an masses. By Swaraj, he meant apostle of peace, non-violence freedom and self-rule which and was ardent follower of should be practiced at three Purna Swaraj or complete levels, independence.2 His message — In case of individual has a universal appeal which Swaraj, it is self-control or has profound influence on Swaraj of the self. humanity till now. On Gandhi¶s — In case of the country, it influence in Indian politics is the freedom of India from the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote British clutch, and ³Gandhi¶s influence is not limited to those who agree with — In case of community him or accept him as national level, it is Gram Swaraj or leader, it extends to those who freedom of village. disagree with him and criticise The twentieth him, at a time of action and century marked with struggle when India¶s freedom widespread national is at stake they flock to him and look up to him as movement. It has been featured as a century of their inevitable leader´. Gandhian ideology was widespread democratic upsurge. The first half of an outcome of the synthesis of both moderate and the century started movement to overthrow the extremist thoughts. The different social and political colonialism in Afro-Asian countries due to works of the moderates and extremists did not liberation struggles. By that time, India witnessed worry Mahatma Gandhi as he considered politics a freedom movement. In that Mahatma Gandhi 16 Odisha Review October - 2015 had a pivotal role. He used non-violent direct an integral revolution that encompasses all spheres action Satyagraha as a technique of protest. The of life. ³At the individual level Swaraj is vitally Indian freedom movement led by Mahatma connected with the capacity for dispassionate self- Gandhi which used non-violent direct action assessment, ceaseless self-purification and Satyagraha as a technique of struggle, won growing swadeshi or self-reliance´.(5) From general acclaim for the pioneering role it played political point of view Swaraj is self-government in sharpening and hastening the process of and not good government . For Gandhi, good dismantling the classical forms of colonialism and government is no substitute for self-government. imperialism.4 The middle part of the century Swaraj means continuous effort to be witnessed post-colonial transformation in the independent of government control, whether it is newly independent Afro-Asian states. There was foreign government or whether it is national. a massive attempt for presumption of the states Furthermore, it is sovereignty of the people based as an effective mediator in improving the on pure moral authority. From economic point of conditions of the weaker and poorer sections of view Purna Swaraj is full economic freedom for people. For the purpose of ensuring social justice the toiling millions. According to Gandhi, and equality, the liberator of the oppressed wanted "Swaraj of the people meant the sum total of the to work ³an engine of growth and development Swaraj (self-rule) of individuals and so he that would usher in a new civil order based on clarified that for him Swaraj meant freedom for progress and prosperity and confer rights to life the meanest of his countrymen. And in its fullest and liberty, equality and dignity, on the people at sense, Swaraj is much more than freedom from large´.5 However the independent states faced all restraints, it is self-rule, self-restraint and could some disillusionment and demystification. The be equated with moksha or salvation.´6 state initiated her expectations of the positive and Gandhiji had serious attention on how interventionist role. And the people presumed to realise Swaraj. He has pointed out that alliance between the state and the masses have ³Swaraj will not drop from the cloud and it would been completely belied. be the fruit of patience, perseverance, ceaseless CONCEPT OF SWARAJ: toil, courage and intelligent appreciation of the Mahatma Gandhi was a unique freedom environment´. He also observed that ³Swaraj fighter. The anti-colonial freedom struggle means vast organising ability, penetration into the launched by Gandhi for the liberation of India was villages solely for the services of the villagers, in unique from many points of views. That it was other words, it means national education i.e., predominantly a non-violent and his struggle for education of the masses´.7 In the Gandhian the liberation of India was based on non-violence. discourse, mass education is conscientisation, Gandhiji¶s role in freedom movement was mobilisation and empowerment, which makes multidimensional. He was not limited with one aim people capable and determines their power to only to end the British rule in India. Of course, stand up. He pointed out that, ³Real Swaraj will ending of British domination was his important come, not by the acquisition of authority but by agenda. His goals were greater and more the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist ambitious. One of his important goals was to authority when it is abused. In other words, achieve Swaraj, Purna Swaraj or complete Swaraj is to be attained by educating the masses independence. The word Swaraj means self-rule. to a sense of their capacity to regulate and control However, for Gandhi, Swaraj is the content of authority´.8 17 October - 2015 Odisha Review Political liberty was an essential the people politically for it. But it was not prepared precondition of the Swaraj. It is the first step to to take up constructive work. So, Gandhiji realise the goal of Swaraj. For political founded voluntary organisations to carry out independence of the people Gandhi had valuable his constructive program. The All India Spinners contributions and for that he worked with and Association (AISA) and All India Village through the Indian National Congress. Of course, Industries Association (AIVIA), the Harijan there were serious philosophical and ideological Sewak Sangh, the Leprosy Foundation etc., differences between Gandhi and other prominent are the best voluntary organisations. Through leaders of the Congress, particularly Jawaharlal these organisations, Gandhi launched a massive Nehru. Gandhiji visualised a model of Swaraj programme of rural reconstruction to empower and that model was developed and enunciated in the downtrodden people. These organisations his Hind Swaraj. It was his manifesto. But his were primarily stressed on social transformation strategy of Swaraj was unacceptable to Nehru through their voluntary actions at the grassroots and other Congress leaders. They dismissed it as level. Their thrust was mainly social. However it completely unreal. But his vision presented in does not mean that they were against political Hind Swaraj was ideal for the realisation of self- development. On the other hand, they developed rule and political independence. Even he had what later came to be known as people¶s politics devoted his life for that. He wanted to reconstruct and basic politics, which in turn helped in the India which was more essential to end the British stabilization of lokshakti or peoples¶ power. Of Colonial Rule in India.9 course, constructive workers were abstaining from India was a colonial nation. But British direct political struggles. But on crucial occasions domination was not the only form of subjugation Gandhi enlisted their services for political suffered by her. India was the victim of many mobilization. For instance, the seventy nine drawbacks which were her own making. For that volunteers of Gandhi in the Dandi salt march team foreign colonialism may not be blamed. Hence were all constructive workers. When Gandhiji Gandhi wanted an internal reform mainly through launched the Individual Satyagraha there was the self-motivated voluntary action in the form of most prominent constructive worker Vinoba, constructive work. He dovetailed them into his whom he selected as the first Satyagrahi. Gandhi freedom movement. Swaraj of his dream was to had vision of constructive work as a training be built from grassroots level. For Gandhi it meant programmer for non-violent resisters or the elimination of all forms of domination, satyagrahies. He advocated the extensive use oppression, segregation and discrimination. The of constructive programme for preparing a Swaraj could eliminate the active use of non- favorable environment for launching violence. It could be achieved through the Satyagraha.10 economic regeneration of rural India through Gandhiji wanted to transfer the Congress programmers like the revival and propagation of from political organisation to a constructive work khadi and other related villages industries. For organisation. He proposed to rename the translating these constructive programmers into Congress as Lok Sewak Sangh to mobilise the reality, organisations were necessary. In this regard people to work and struggle for Swaraj. the Indian National Congress had vital role. The However Congressmen of the party-political Congress was chiefly concerned with the question disposition had no heed to the advice of the of political independence.