‘Swachhata’ in political intent - a prerequisite for Gandhiji’s India

October 2, 2019 marked the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. We need to bear in mind that though Gandhiji was equally concerned with issues of sanitation and hygiene due to his influence of Western culture, what came to stand out most was his model of ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) as the path for socio-political conflict resolution, against a background of a world stunned by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki holocaust. In the year 2007, this day came to be officially dedicated as the ‘International Day of Non-Violence’ by the United Nations as a tribute to this Apostle of Peace. Unfortunately, in the last couple of years, it has become obvious that the BJP government has been subtly attempting to steer the young minds away from Gandhiji’s message on ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) by superimposing ‘Swachhata’ (cleanliness) as the focus for the observance of Gandhi Jayanti. 

Goans will probably recall that no sooner the BJP assumed control of the Goa government in 2002, its first surgical strike aimed at abolishing the holidays for Gandhi Jayanti and the feast of Goencho Saib. The unexpected backlash, predominantly from the Hindu community itself, compelled the government to retreat. Once again an attempt was seen in 2015, but again the strong public reaction got the BJP government into damage control mode with a claim that the omission was a typographical error. Yet, government servants were compulsorily made to report on duty and undertake cleaning of their offices on Gandhi Jayanti.

When world over several nations are inspired by Gandhiji’s life and attempt to understand and promote his message of non-violence, it is a tragedy that his motherland India appears to be on a mission to erase his legacy. If the first 65 years after his assassination were about mere symbolism woven around ‘khadi’ and his signature eyewear, the next few years will probably be devoted to eradicating Gandhiji’s ideals under a pretext of eradicating single-use plastic and open defecation. It is no simple coincidence that the BJP on assuming power at the centre in 2014 launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan mission to commemorate this day. Irrespective of how innocent and noble the ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission gets painted by BJP’s propaganda machinery, cleanliness is by no means a Modi obsession as the narrative attempts to portray. It is part of a several decades old Hindutva mission to remove the focus from Gandhiji’s teachings on peace and brotherhood. There is a desperate attempt to reconstruct Gandhian Thought to accommodate destructive Hindutva narrative.

The fact that such an important landmark in history, of the 150th Birth anniversary of Gandhiji, got reduced to a ‘Swachhata hi Seva 2019’ campaign to be imposed by the Government of India on Gram Panchayats and educational institutions across the country, only reflects the contempt for Gandhiji’s teachings. The very act by the government agencies to demand reports and photographs from schools and Gram Panchayats, as proof of having followed the diktat for Oct 2 celebrations, demonstrates the government’s total lack of trust in its citizens. Undoubtedly, Gandhiji would have condemned any action of imposing social practices, religion and culture on others in his name. .” 

Gandhiji’s life and teachings go far beyond mere outward sanitation. He repeatedly emphasised that sanitation and non-violence were two sides of the same coin.  There is a mismatch between the government’s publicly declared intent and its functioning. Mere emphasis on external cleanliness devoid of an environment of non-violent thinking and actions will only compound the problems like ‘Environmental Pollution’ and ‘Ethnic Cleansing’, both of which are fast becoming the default culture in New India’s politics. This explains why the government is comfortable in tomtoming ‘swachhata’, but gets terribly unsettled when broached with the subject of ‘Ahimsa’ embedded in Gandhian Thought. 

There is no greater insult to Gandhiji than propagating swachhata in his name and manipulating statistics to claim 100% eradication of Open Defecation and a 100% ban on single-use plastic. Any meaningful campaign on cleanliness as a tribute to Gandhiji ought to also be about ending manual scavenging, eradicating untouchability and inequality, and guaranteeing dignity and freedom to every individual. In a nutshell, these were the core evils plaguing Indian society and against which Gandhiji’s satyagraha revolved. 

Let us remember that Gandhiji’s life was not cut short by diseases such as encephalitis, malaria, dengue, chikungunya, tuberculosis or typhoid resulting from untreated garbage dumps, overflowing sewage pits or stagnation of water due to drains choked with plastic. Gandhiji succumbed to a far deadlier virus of ‘hate’ which corrodes the mind and heart and originates from a distorted and exclusive political idea of religion and culture. His life was cut short by the violence which emanated from a dirty mind created by a filthy ideology. Gandhiji was silenced by the bullets from a gun which originated in the minds which lacked ‘swachhata in intent’ which is a prerequisite for cleanliness, harmony and peace in society. 

The ping pong played by the Saligaonkars, Bainguinimkars and Ponjekars over garbage and sewage is a classic example of how Swachh Bharat is one among the many govt programmes for fuelling confusion and conflict in society, instead of generating solutions to socio-political problems. The programme for replacing the Apostle of Ahimsa with a Father of Swachhata was recently unveiled by Donald Trump in Houston, USA.

(The author is a social 

activist and works in creating awareness on 

 self-governance).