Mahatma Gandhi’s Approach Towards Human Rights
August 10, 2008 at 4:16 pm (Social Issues) (Human Rights, Mahatma Gandhi)
The world is in ferment, man is underrated, disbelief exists in the ideals of equality, every nation is at daggers drawn. Is this the world envisaged by Gandhi ? Gandhi always believed in the individual as the starting point of social regeneration. Human life was considered as an undivided whole.
Socialism of Gandhi was neither a gospel for the expropriation of the rich nor a programme for the nationalization of the means of production, distribution or exchange. But it was based essentially on ideas of non possession, trusteeship, non-violence, human equality and service of the poor.
Mahatma Gandhi says, “Socialism is a beautiful word and, so far as i am aware, in socialism, all the members of the society are equal, none low, none high. In the individual body, the head is not high because it is at the top of the body, nor are the soles of the feet treated lowly because they touch the earth. Even as members of the individual body are equal, so are members of the society.”
The seeds of true socialism, as Gandhiji explicitely ststes, are properly nurtured only when mankind nourishes equality in humans behavioural designs where the barriors of numerous diffrerences apparent and, of course, not at all significant are ignored outright.
Gandhiji’s struggle to secure the goal of social justice did not begin in India. 21 years of his life were spent in South Africa, where he struggled untiringly for the dignity of man and against social injustice. And there, he succedded to a great extant. There is an interesting experience of Gandhi in South Africa, which has a great human touch. General Smuts, the gret dictator, who exploited the people, indulged in racialism in South Africa, again and again put Gandhi to jail and made him suffer rigourous imprisonment. But Gandhi developed skills during his rigourous imprisonment. He learned from a cobbler, how to make leather sandals. When General Smuts called Gandhiji and told him that there was general amnesty and he was released, Gandhi preented General Smuts a small packet. He asked, “What is it, any bomb ?” When he opened the packet, Smuts found a pair of sandals. Gandhi told General Smuts, “This is my parting gift.” On the occassion of Gandhiji’s birth anniversary, General Smuts sent a letter on which he wrote, “I have worn these sandals for many a summer since then, even though i may feel that i am not worthy to stand in the shoes of so great a man.” The man who oppressed Gandhi and subjected him to rigorous imprisonment responded with such warmth. Gandhiji always used to say, “Hate the sin, not the sinner.”
Again, considering socialism to be the most significant agent of truth and non-violence, Gandhi gives it a new dimension through which the idea of god as a living source emanates prominantly :
“Truth and non-violence must incarnate in socialism. In order that they can, the votary must have a living faith in god. Mere mechenical adherence to truth and non-violence is likely to break down at the critical moment. Hence I have said that truth is god. This god is living force. Our life is of that force. That force resides in, but is not the body. He, who denies the existance of that great force, denies to himself the use of that inexhoustible power and thus remains impotent. He is like a rudderless ship, which is tossed about here and there, perishes without making any headway.”
Admittedly, the living force within mankind as Gandhigives a newer dimension, necessitates a social synthesis in humanity. Unless this is revaluated in terms of social chaos that has become the order of the day, mankind can not be embrace massacres of human sense and sensibilities.
Gandhi gives highest priority to bringing about change in the social structure. A socialism visioned as growing from non-violence and Styagraha. In his own words, “This I do say fearlessly and firmly that every worthy object can be achieved by the use of Satyagraha. It is the highest and infallible means, the greatest force. Socialism will not be reached by any other means. Satyagraha can rid society of all evils, Political, Economic and Moral.” In this connection, Gandhiji coined an expression, ‘Constructive non-violence’ for including change in the society. He says, “If…you truly desire to extinguish the volcano of hatred that is today pouring out its poisionous lava, I hope you will join me in fasting in the true spirit. The fast signifies much more than processions and flags hoisting ceremonies.”
Once he said’ “In a violent war, the general of the army is at the back in a closed tank well guarded. But in my non-violent battle, one who leads the struggle is at the fead of the people to face the first bullet, if need be. And if the leader is killed, probably his death could rouse and awaken the people through his martyrdom.”
Nothing can be more effective than suffering to induce change. As Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, one of the founding fathers of our constitution, said, “It is neither by mere counting of heads, nor by chopping off heads that you can bring about a political change. It is by taking cognizance of what is happening inside the head and heart that you will be able to strengthen the motivation for change.”
Throughout his life, Gandhiji propagated education of faith, self-discipline, tolerance and human values to develop cross-culturalism with respect for mankind as a whole and to promote socialtransfusion. In his words, “The golden way is to be friends with the world and to regard the whole human family like members of one family. He, who distinguishes between one’s own family and another’s miseducates the members of his own and opens the way for discord and irreligion.”
In the present world, full of hatred, inequlities, discrimination, human degradation and erosion of values, there is an imperetive need to recapitulate and apply the teachings of the Mahatma, who was a staunch believer of protection of human rights. ( Based on ” Gandhiji’s Values” by Sona Dixit and Arun Kumar Dixit )
Communalism : A Threat To Indian National Integrity
July 27, 2008 at 5:12 pm (Social Issues) (Communalism)
India is a unique nation in itself. Since the time of the Harappan Civilization, people of different religions and races came over here, and the great soil of India sleltered them all. The bounteous Indian culture adopted all their customs and festivals to and soon they incorporated here. Thus India used to nourish all kinds of religions and races from the beginning of culture and civilization. Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Christians and many different religious communities resides in India, having businesses with each other. Everything is so simple and satisfactory untill here. But now a problem named “Communalism” occurs and ruined their easy going life. So, now a question comes before us that what is Communalism ? Who gave it birth, and What for ?
Communalism is originated from a French word “Commune”, which stands for a kind of independent state, and the national government a confederation of such states, having only limited powers. In fact, Communalism describes a broad range of social movements and social theories, which are in some way centered upon the community. It can take the form of communal living or communal property, among others. It is sometimes said to put the interests of the community above the interests of the individual, but this is usually only done on the principle that the community exists for the benefit of the individuals who participate in it. Very often, Communalism is associated with Anarchism, Socialism, and Communism, particularly with Primitive or Religious Communism. It is a practice of communal living and common ownership i.e. loyalty and commitment to the interests of one’s own minority or ethnic group rather than to society as a whole. Communalism, in many parts of the world, is a modern term that describes a broad range of social movements and social theories which are in some way centered upon the community. But in South Asia, it is used to denote attempts to promote primarily religious stereotypes between groups of people identified as different communities and to stimulate violence between those groups.
In modern India, the term Communalism is related to the violent activities of religious extremists. Now it designates the conflicts not only between extremist religious communities and the people of the same religion, but also between the people of different religions, regions and states. There are historical evidences of the riots, caused by Communalism. Hindu-Muslim ‘Lat Bhairo’ riots 1809-1811, ‘Hep Hep’ riots 1819, Hindu-Muslim ‘Banaras’ and ‘Kanpur’ riots 1931, ‘Manzilgah’ and ‘Sukkur’ riots 1940, ‘Kolkata’ Hindu-Muslim riots 1946, Hindu,Sikhs-Muslim riots 1947 ( During the partition of India and Pakistan ), Sikh riots 1984, Mumbai riots 1992, ‘Wandhama’ massacre 1998 ( 25 Hindu victims ), Chittisinghpura massacre 2000, Gujarat Hindu-Muslim riots 2002, ‘Kuluchak’ and ‘Marad’ massacres 2002, Kherlangi massacre 2006, Indore Hindu-Muslim riots 2008, are some of the fatal examples of Communalism.
Communalism is a potential threat to the sovereignty, democracy, integrity, and in short the very existence of India. Communalism is a modern day phenomenon – a sectarian, restrictive, and negative response to the process of modern nation building. As Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote, “One must never forget that communalism is a later day phenomenon which has grown up before our eyes.” In a multi-religious society like India the secular interests such as social, cultural, economic and political of one religion are dissimilar with the followers of other religions, and communalism raises its head when the interest of different religions are seen as mutually incompatible, hostile and antagonistic.
It is said that the the foundation of communalism in India was laid by the British think tank, during the British rule over India. Communalism flourished in India and reached monstrous proportions in 1947 under British rule. But British did not create communalism. It only took advantage of socio-economic and cultural differences and amplified those differences to serve their political ends. Hence the British policy of ‘divide and rule’ was planted on an earth made very fertile by those existing differences. Post 1857, British shifted to a policy of ‘concession, counterpoise and coercion’ to accommodate new rising class, to counterbalance strong class and to browbeat recalcitrant class. some of the certain innocuous political trends, though not communal in themselves, obliquely led to its growth. Some tactful reasons as the derision for Congress as Hindu body and fear of majority gobbling up the minority led to the growth of communalism. And the foundation of the communal organizations like All India Muslim League (1906) and Hindu Mahasabha (1915) provided the gory feast of hatred and mistrust from which communal forces drew their sustenance and balancing justification for each other.
And now after India’s independence communal forces are so deeply indexed in our beliefs, that is is hard to recognize them. This particular manifestation of the contradictions set in motion after independence, lays the objective basis on which the present concerted offensive by the communal forces has been mounted. The discontent amongst the Indian people, as a result of the crisis of the system, accumulated over the years, is growing. Discontent is affecting also the expanded and vocal middle class, drawn more from the former exploiting classes rather than from the upward mobility of the exploited classes. The domination of the consciousness of the exploiter classes combined with discontent provides fertile soil for the growth of communal ideology. Exploiting this discontent and on the basis of the perpetuation of backward consciousness, the communal forces are able today to divert this discontent into communal channels in pursuit of their political objective. the communal forces have adopted a two pronged strategy. On the one hand, they seek to generate a sort of a monolithic unity amongst the vast diversity within the community of Indians embracing Hindu religion, and, on the other, they generate hate against enemies outside of the Hindu faith, i.e. the Muslims and the Christians. The entire propaganda mechanism based on fascist techniques unleashed by them is to achieve this dual strategy.
As if we talk about the solution of this monsterous problem of communalism in India, we found no easy solution to it. For we have to put a redical change in mentality, and to respect all other religions. We have to try to create a faith in all minor religious communities, that their feelings, faiths, ways, and places of worship would not be tolerated anyway. Respect of their thoughts and customs would arouse it into them. Political parties should keep themselves away from the communal issues, or the issues that enthreat the communalism. This is the only easy way, we can keep our unity and integrity safe and secure.
Reservation In India : Backward Mentality For Backwards
July 26, 2008 at 12:29 am (Social Issues) (Reservation)
Reservation in India is always controversial, and a debate head for all aware and educated paople in India. Although It provides facilities to a small group of paople, on the basis of caste and religion, yet it also creates dis-satisfaction in a comparetively larger group of the discriminated people. The demand for reservation is spreading like a viral disease among the Indian mass. The most depressing aspect of reservation is that it is going to be a lethal risk for the unity and dignity of India. It is shameful that political parties make it their election agenda for their personal benefits. The demand for reserving seats in jobs, both in government as well as private sector, on the basis of caste, religion, minority and domiscile is increasing day by day, among the Indian mass. The recent Gurjar ( Gujjar ) upheavel in Rajasthan is one of the lustrous example of it. This upheavel was started in Rajasthan in April – May 2008, and soon it spreaded in the whole state like forest conflagration. Very often, Gujjar agitations had come out of Rajasthan, and engulfed Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, the National Capital Region. And this was all happening due to the Gurjar community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status in Rajasthan, while it is considerable that Gurjar is one of the major castes in Rajasthan. The upheavel ended with a fine compansation after more than 50 innocent persons died.
The history of the current reservation system goes back to 1882, under the British rule, when Jyotirao Govindrao Phule ( Mahatma Jyotiba Phule ) made a demand of free and compulsory education for all along with poportionate reservation and representation in government jobs. But The demand for reservation of government jobs was made as early as 1891 with an agitation in the princely State of Travancore against the recruitment of non-natives into public service overlooking qualified native people. After that this trend started in the princely states of Baroda, Kolhapur, Maysore and some others, one after another. Reservations were introduced in favour of a number of castes and communities that had little share in the administration by the British in the year of 1908. But the official provisions for reservation were introduced in the Government of India Acts of 1909 and 1919. Communal Reservations were first introduced in Madras Presidency in 1921, in which reservation of 44 percent for non-Brahmins, 16 percent for Brahmins, 16 percent for Muslims, 16 percent for Anglo-Indians and Christians and eight per cent for Scheduled Castes were distributed. This gave breath to communalism in India for the first time. Provisions for clear caste-based reservations were launched by the Government of India Act, 1935. In the same year, Indian National Congress passed a resolution to allocate separate electoral constituencies for depressed classes. Dr. Ambedkar also established the All India Depressed Classes federation and demanded reservations for the Scheduled castes in government services and education.
In 1947, the great year of Indian freedom, the newly implemented constitution of India prohibits discrimination on the grounds caste, race, religion, sex and the place of birth, and provide equality of opportuinity to all Indian citizens. But on the other hand, it contains special clauses for the advancement of any socially and educationally depressed classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. Separate constituencies allocated to scheduled castes and tribes to ensure their political representation for 10 years. But susequently this time limit is being extended for every 10 years through various constutional amendments. After the independence of India, many commissions and committees were established to review this situation in which Khalelkar Commission ( 1953 ) and Mandal Commission ( 1979 ) are remarkable. Mandal Commission was established to assess the situation of the socially and educationally backward. Mandal Commission submitted a report in 1980 and recommended changes to the existing quotas, increasing them from 22% to 49.5%. As of 2006 number of castes in Backward class list went up to 2297 which is the increase of 60% from community list prepared by Mandal Commission. Mandal commission recommendations were implemented in Government Jobs in the year of 1990, during the Congress Government. In 1991, Government introduced 10% separate reservation for Poor Among Forward Castes. In 1995, a permitting reservation in promotions to the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes was introduced through constutional amendment.
In the year of 1998, Central Government conducted large nationwide survey for the first time to estimate economical and educational status of various social groups. National surveys indicated that the status of OBC is comparable to Forward castes in many areas. In 2005 reservation ensured to OBC, SC and ST in Private Educational Institutions through the 93rd Constitutional amendment. Reservation was introduced for Other backward classes in Central Government Educational Institutions in the year of 2006. Thus the total reservation went up to 49.5 percent. But the Supreme Court, in 2007, gave stay on OBC reservation in Central Government Educational Institutions. In 208, The Supreme Court upheld the Government’s move for initiating 27% OBC quotas in Government funded institutions.
But with all these happenings, the most important question we have to face is that, what is the necessacity of reservation ? The goal of reservation in India has been to bring about an improvement in the welfare who, have been economically, socially, mentally and educational depressed. But, in arriving at this judgement about who should be eligible for reservation, the criterion has been a person’s caste rather than his income or wealth. In practice, a large number of persons, who are really backward, couldn’t be regarded as backward. Thus many of the benefits of reservation have been captured by well-off groups from the depressed persons and comparatively poorer ungrouped persons, who are not categorised in these so called backwards, have failed to benefit. I personally know many of such persons in my hometown, who have a rather good education and economic condition but they are all having benefits of various government schemes for backwards.
For changing these graphs, the government, the officials and of course, the people should try to change their attributes towards reservations. The government should concentrate on the modest improvements of the educational level of Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. Because if the belongers these backward groups would be class-educated, they will be selected for the jobs without any Reservation, on their own behalf, both in Government, as well as Private Sector, . All political parties should prohibit the reservation as their election agenda, as it intend to increase the communalism and tension in between the people of various states. The only thing we need is honest effort to solve this issue, which India is struggling with, for more than a century.
