Initiative to counter misinformation campaign against Mahatma on social media
A unique 21-hour series of lectures on Mahatma Gandhi delivered here by a scholar of Gandhian and peace studies narrates the finer aspects of Gandhian thought and portrays the challenges, struggles and contributions of the Father of the Nation in the right perspective. , The series of online lectures completed last week.
The initiative sought to combat misinformation campaigns against Mahatma Gandhi, who was primarily active on social media, while challenging efforts to reduce his stature. Sponsored by the Jaipur Peace Foundation, the lectures were delivered every weekend for two-and-a-half months on the Google Meet platform, with over 50 participants participating in online interactions.
Naresh Dadhich, political scientist who delivered the lecture, former Vice Chancellor of Vardhman Mahaveer Open University, Kota, told Hindu That he dealt with Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to politics and religion, his relationships with other leaders during the independence movement, and his concepts of ahimsa, swaraj, satyagraha, sarvodaya, Ram Rajya and trusteeship.
Each lecture lasted an hour and was followed by a question-and-answer session. The participants included political leaders, researchers, teachers, students and social workers in the age group of 22 to 60 years. Each of them was given a certificate at the end of the series.
Pro. Dadhich said that Gandhian ideas were most relevant in the context of the neglect of moral principles in current politics, when there was a need to inculcate the values of purity, honesty, non-violence and secularism in public life. “The present tech-savvy generation should know the importance of Mahatma Gandhi and hold him responsible for many diseases through lies and deceit,” he said.
philosophy, idea
After covering the life of Mahatma Gandhi in the initial two to three lectures, the series compared his philosophy to contemporary ideas, such as Marxism, Maoism, socialism and liberalism, and also dealt with his critics. This was followed by an analysis of Mahatma Gandhi’s relations with Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, BR Ambedkar and Mohammad Ali Jinnah and their role in the freedom struggle and partition.