Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of our Nation

 Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of our Nation

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is also known as Mahatma Gandhi. He was referred to as ‘Mahatma’ by Rabindranath Tagore. Ahimsa was his motto and he practised it till his last breath. The world sat up and took notice when he pioneered India’s freedom movement that culminated with the independence of India in the year 1947. Gandhi was inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s “civil disobedience “, John Ruskin and Leo Tolstoy and his non-violence. Did you know that he was nominated for Nobel peace prize 5 times! Surprisingly, he also started 3 football clubs in South Africa known as the Passive Resisters Football club.  Bapu was born in the Porbandar, Gujarat, India in a Hindu family on 2nd of October in 1869. As a great freedom fighter, he got arrested and sent to jail many times but he continued fighting against British rule for the justice of Indians. He was a great believer in non-violence and unity of people of all religions which he followed all through his struggle for independence. He died in 1948 on 30th of January and his body was cremated at Raj Ghat, New Delhi. 30th of January is celebrated every year as the Martyr Day in India in order to pay homage to him. He started various movements to fight for the rights of Indians.A few of them are listed below :

• Champaran and Kheda Agitations

In 1917 the farmers of Champaran were forced by the Britishers to grow indigo and again sell them at very cheap fixed prices. Mahatma Gandhi organized a non-violent protest against this practice and Britishers were forced to accept the demand of the farmers.

Kheda village was hit by floods in 1918 and created a major famine in the region. The Britishers were not ready to provide any concessions or relief in the taxes. Gandhiji organized a non-cooperation movement and led peaceful protests against the British administration for many months. Ultimately the administration was forced to provide relief in taxes and temporarily suspended the collection of revenue.

• Non-cooperation Movement

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the harsh British policies lead to the Non-cooperation movement in 1920. It was the non-violence protest against the British rule. Gandhiji believed that the main reason for the Britishers flourishing in India is the support they are getting from Indians. He pleaded to boycott the use of British products and promoted the use of ‘Swadeshi’ products. Indians denied working for the Britishers and withdrew themselves from the British schools, civil services, government jobs etc. People started resigning from the prominent posts which highly affected the British administration. The Non-Cooperation movement shook the foundation of the British rule and all these without a single use of any weapon. The power of non-violence was more evident in the non-cooperation movement.

• Salt Satyagrah or Salt March

Salt March or the ‘Namak Satyagrah’ was the non-violence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi against the salt monopoly of the Britishers. Britishers imposed heavy taxation on the salt produce which affected the local salt production. Gandhiji started the 26 days non-violence march to Dandi village, Gujarat protesting against the salt monopoly of the British government. The Dandi march was started on 12th March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram and ended on 06th April 1930 at Dandi, breaking the salt laws of the British government and starting the local production of salt. The Salt March was a non-violent movement which got the international attention and which helped to concrete the foundation of Independent India.

• Quit India Movement

After the successful movement of the Salt March, the foundation of British government shook completely. Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942 which demanded the Britishers to quit India. It was the time of World War II when Britain was already in war with Germany and the Quit India Movement acted as a fuel in the fire. There was a mass non-violent civil disobedience launched across the country and Indians also demanded their separation from World War II.  The effect of the Quit India Movement was so intense that the British government agreed to provide complete independence to India once the war gets over. The Quit India Movement was a final nail in the coffin of the British rule in India.

These movements led by Mahatma Gandhi were completely Non-violent and did not use any weapon. The power of truth and non-violence were the weapons used to fight the British rule. The effect of non-violence was so intense that it gained the immediate attention of the international community towards the Indian independence struggle. It helped to reveal the harsh policies and acts of the British rule to the international audience. Mahatma Gandhi always believed that weapons are not the only answer for any problem; in fact, they created more problems than they solved. It is a tool which spreads hatred, fear and anger. Non-violence is one of the best methods by which we can fight with many powerful enemies, without holding a single weapon. Apart from the independence struggle; there are many incidents of modern times which exhibited the importance of non-violence and how it helped in bringing changes in the society and all that without spilling a single drop of blood. Hope the day is not very far when there will be no violence and every conflict and dispute will be solved through peaceful dialogues without harming anyone and shedding blood and this would be the greatest tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.