As the country gears up to celebrate the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, once again there would be intense debate on whether Gandhian principles have any relevance in mid-21st Century.
But if we look around us, the way violence is ripping apart the world and unsustainable lifestyle is threatening to destroy the earth, Gandhian principles seem to be more relevant today than ever before.
If we see closely, we will find that on the one hand we have rising knowledge economies, increasing youth population and globalisation.
On the other hand, we are also facing significant challenges - violent internal conflicts, deteriorating global peace and climate change, pandemics among others. In this scenario, this is perhaps the best time to remember and implement the Mahatma’s teachings in our lives.
Let's look at the core principles of Bapu.
Top on the list is Ahimsa. Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence is very relevant as the world faces terrorism and other forms of violence. His policy of non-violence was based on the concept of compassion.
Against colonial violence, he proposed a non-violent response. In his view, a calm, non-violent response reduces the attacker’s anger and causes frustration. This weakens his violent instincts and triggers a self-transformation.
India at present faces a threat to its peace from foreign and domestic forces. Communal hatred is at its peak today. Friends have turned foes, neighbourhoods have become battlegrounds and blood is being spilled on the streets. Not just within the country, if we look around, the entire world is burning. Compassion only can douse the flame of hatred.
Next is devolution of power. The Gandhian idea of decentralisation of power and local self-governments at the grassroots level was propagated during British rule. Today this concept is seen in the form of Panchayati Raj and Municipality system in rural and urban areas respectively.
But we can see that even now the Centre and State governments tend to come out with policies without public discussion. The funding for panchayats has become centralised and are forced to depend on the MLAs in Goa. Thus we can see that this ideology of Gandhi is still relevant and plays a vital role in India’s grassroot development.
Then is Satyagraha. Satyagraha, a peaceful protest against British rule launched by Mahatma Gandhi as part of the civil disobedience movement, is the expression of the purest spiritual power against all injustice, oppression, and exploitation.
In present India, we have seen Satyagraha used as a weapon against the oppressive governments. For example, the farmers protesting against the Farm Law resorted to non-violence for demanding withdrawal of the Farm Bill. More recently, our wrestlers sat on a peaceful protest demonstration, demanding removal of the then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan on charges of sexually assaulting women wrestlers, including a minor.
In Goa, people are taking out peaceful protest march against big projects getting approved by the State government.
Self-reliance is the other highlight of Gandhian thoughts. Gandhi’s calls for swadeshi or self-reliance is still prevalent in our society. Today, the Government of India's takes pride in its ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ policy.
But the clarion call for self-reliance was given much earlier by Gandhi to counter dependence on British goods. In order to free the country from the shackles of hunger, unemployment, poverty, swadeshi is the best path to unshackle these.
At a time when infectious diseases are taking a toll on our society, Gandhi’s call for cleanliness assumes lot of importance. The ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ again is extension of Gandhi’s focus on cleanliness.
The Mahatma always spoke of a nature-friendly society. He believed that “there is enough on earth for human needs but not enough for human greed.”
These lines from Mahatma Gandhi show how human behaviour destroys nature, and there is a need for a sustainable lifestyle in our times.
In this scenario, sustainable development, as envisaged by Bapu, needs to be implemented in Toto.
Gandhi played a vital role in bringing women out of their domestic work and involved them in public life. He was against the patriarchal form of society.
The Gandhian philosophy is eternal and remains a guidebook for the society, which is sinking in a quicksand made of greed, lust and hate.