Thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi can never be killed

There has been much discussion of the factors that contributed to Gandhi’s “Mahatma” stature. I will not go into specifics, but it is clear that Bapu’s ideas are as relevant today as they were in his time. The more he is opposed, the more powerful he becomes. If you don’t believe me, check out the record of the last three years. On every Gandhi Jayanti, an attempt is made to “trend” Godse instead of Gandhi, but the attempt is proving futile.

We are living in an era when efforts are being made to replace global personalities with new values ​​and ideological effigies. Can effigies enter the mainstream of history? Godse is outright believed to be the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi, whom he proudly referred to as “Vadh”. On the contrary, the Mahatma changed the course of human history many times. advice.

Consider the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both the countries have been at war for the last eleven months, during which we have seen many such incidents which put the 21st century to shame. Russia and Ukraine are important food grain and edible oil exporters. The war had a negative impact on their produce, production and exports. If 2022 was a year of starvation, 2023 is likely to be a year of famine. If the world is to be saved from famine, then this war must end.

If Gandhi was alive, what would he have done in this situation?

Let us return to August 1939. At that time the clouds of war were hovering over Europe. Hitler was ready to attack Poland. Countries like Britain and France wanted to stop him, but their confidence had waned. In such circumstances, Gandhi sent a letter to Hitler. He bluntly said: “It is quite clear that you are the only man in the world today who can prevent a war that could reduce humanity to barbarism. Should you pay that price for a thing , no matter how worthy he may seem to you? Will you listen to the appeal of a man who has deliberately abandoned the way of war and has not achieved much success? Anyway, I expect your forgiveness, if I I have made a mistake by writing the letter.

Gandhi also advised the British: “I would like you to give up your weapons as being useless to save yourself or humanity. You would invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take whatever they want from those countries, what you call your property. Let them occupy your beautiful island, your many beautiful buildings. You will give all this but neither your soul nor your mind. If these gentlemen choose to occupy your houses, you will give them If they do not give you a free way out, you will allow yourselves to be slaughtered of man, woman and child, but you will refuse to pay allegiance to them.”

What was Gandhi’s condition when he wrote these letters? He was only a worker of a slave country, but his moral power was limitless. You must be wondering what was the use of this correspondence. The war could not be stopped, but his sentiments made international headlines. Why? Because everyone who wanted peace wanted to stop the destructive war. If Gandhi were alive today and had access to social media, just imagine how successful his efforts would have been.

This is the reason why Gandhi has been remembered at least 300 times in the last three years. During the Covid era, when the world’s most powerful heads of state locked their doors, seized control of their countries’ borders, used their financial clout to protect their citizens, and allowed more than two-thirds of To make up for the decimation of the population, people felt the need for someone with mass appeal like Gandhi.

Global personalities can easily achieve what dwarf heads of state cannot. If you don’t believe it, check out his role in 1904 when plague broke out in South Africa. He devoted two chapters to the “Black Death” in his memoir. He was then seen as a thinker, a volunteer and an “activist” who woke up those in positions of power.

The greatest tragedy of our fast paced world is that we no longer have people like Gandhi.

Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, India. Thoughts are personal.