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Indian Political Thought Specia
Subhas Chandra Bose’s Life Philosophy: Major Foundation of his Thought and its Impact on India 7
Vivekananda and said: “With him religion was the the qualities of Mazzini, Garibaldi and Cavour. During
inspirer of nationalism. He tried to infuse into the new his stays in Europe during the 1930s, he was intensely
generation a sense of pride in India’s past, of faith in stimulated by the dynamism of the two major “fascist”
India’s future and a spirit of self-confidence and self- powers, Italy and Germany. After observing these
respect. Though the Swami never gave any political regimes first-hand, he developed a political ideology
message, everyone who came into contact with him of his own and was convinced, to bring about the
or his writings developed a spirit of patriotism and a liberation of India and the total reconstruction of Indian
political mentality”8. Therefore, there is no doubt that social aroma on authoritarian-socialist lines. Subhas
the writings of Vivekananda electrified Bose with the Chandra Bose always admired strong, vigorous,
spark of patriotism and nationalism. military-type leaders, and in The Indian Struggle, he
listed several whom he particularly respected. These
The Lessons of International Freedom included Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and even a former
Movements and their Impact on Subhas British Governor of Bengal, Sir Stanley Jackson. 10
Chandra Bose He was also attracted to the Bolshevik Revolution of
In September 1919, Bose sailed for England on his 1917 not because of the ideology behind it, but because
family’s request for Indian Civil Services (ICS) it succeeded in overwhelming the corrupt Czarist
preparation. In England, he got admission in regime in Russia. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917
Cambridge University. Though he joined the and the success of Lenin in establishing the first
University, he was in a dilemma as he could not think socialist republic in the world showed him the power
in terms of joining I.C.S and accepting a job under of the people which again strengthened his belief that
the British Government. While preparing for the ICS India‘s progress could be achieved only by the
examination, Bose studied Modern European history common people of India.11 He was also impressed
and where he came across the life history of great by Bolshevik Revolution since it demonstrated what
personalities, like Bismarck’s autobiography, the power of the people could perform. The great
Metternich’s memoirs, Cavour‘s letters etc. which revolution further strengthened his faith on
helped him to realize the inner currents of international Vivekananda who said that India’s progress would
politics. Apart from this, at Cambridge he learnt that be made by the ‘Sudras’, i.e. peasants, the
a nation can be made only by the uncompromising washermen, the cobblers and the sweepers. So the
idealism from Hampden and Cromwell. The Bolshevik Revolution strengthened his hopes about
resurrection movement of Italy and its heroes made the liberation of India. However, it should be noted in
a great impact on Bose. He was also influenced by this connection that Subhas Chandra Bose never
the unification movement in Germany, the Sinn Fein became an orthodox Marxist. He was deeply moved
revolution of Ireland and the great revolution in Russia by the metaphysical concepts of Hindu spiritualist
which led to the destruction of the oppressive and philosophy rather than materialistic dialectics of
corrupt Czarist regime and the establishment of the Marxism. However, his firm belief in socialism should
first socialist republic of the world. He was also not be confused with scientific socialism as enunciated
influenced by Joseph Mazzini who exerted a by Karl Marx and Engels. In fact, he was more a
tremendous influence on the Indian patriots in the Hegelian than a Marxist and the anti-religious and
fourth quarter of the Nineteenth century. Bose was atheistic tendencies of Marxism had no attraction for
inspired by his great belief in the cause for women’s him. Therefore, Bose’s idea of socialism was a means
liberation, which later helped him in liberating women to an end and it was a means to develop and to fetch
and organizing the women‘s troop of his Indian fresh buoyancy coupled with a sense of pride and
National Army.9 glory to Indian manhood.
Subhas Chandra Bose was very much Impact of Mustafa Kemal Pasa on Subhas
influenced by Mazzini’s (who liberated and unified Chandra Bose
Italy) burning patriotism, Garibaldi’s sword and Subhas Chandra was very much influenced by
undaunted courage and Cavour’s brilliant Mazzani’s (Italy) writings. Besides, the Irish struggle
statesmanship. Subhas Bose combined in himself all for freedom and Mustafa Kemal Pasa, the architect
Subhas Chandra Bose’s Life Philosophy: Major Foundation of his Thought and its Impact on India 9
model for India’s fight for freedom, particularly as Ireland and to distribute it from there to the
India was facing the same enemy. As the Sinn Fein international press. However, he was greatly
movement became stronger and acquired a popular disappointed when he came to know that the leaders
base in Ireland, it became necessary for the new of the All-India Congress Committee had rejected
national leaders to put the organization underground his plan for methodical propaganda in foreign countries
and bring its activities under control in the interest of on behalf of the Congress.16 Therefore, the Irish
postwar administration of the new Free State. This freedom movement largely influenced Subhas
Irish experience was not lost on Bose, who did not Chandra Bose’s struggle strategy and behaviour in
encourage in practice the formation of too many the latter part of his heroic struggle and political
underground organizations in Bengal or India. Another career.
important historical parallel which magnetized him was
the idea of an alliance with Germany as a potential Besides this, Subhas Chandra Bose believed
enemy of Britain. The Imperial German Government in an omnipotent God, a divine spirit equated by him
had declared during the First World War that if with providence. He was firmly convinced that it is
Germany won the war, she would immediately this omnipotent God, who guides and controls human
concede Ireland’s independence. During this time, destiny and He created man for the fulfillment of His
Bose recognized interesting parallels between political work and man is to work in deference to His wishes.
movements in pre-independence Ireland and India. He believed that man was to work without expecting
The Irish Nationalist Party looked like Indian moderate any result which is in the hands of God. Bose
parties and like the Indian Liberal Federation, was in observed: “I must go on working, the ultimate result
favour of established routines like “home rule” which is in His hands, whether I succeed or do not is His
indicated restrained independence under British concern- we must continue and go on trying”. Thus,
command. The “United Irishman” which arose out according to him, the very strength of life and energy
of the Sinn Fein movement resembled the Indian is this divine spirit and man is born for the fulfillment
radicals, of whom Bose was one, and this party of the creative purpose of this universal power. But
wanted to free Ireland completely of British this unflinching faith in God did not entail any passive
domination and make it an independent state. But or weak mode of contemplation of Subhas Bose.
until the First World War, the radical elements in Therefore, a deeply religious man with philosophical
Ireland played a very small and insignificant role. faith in God, Subhas Bose was not obsessed or
They refused to take part in the British Parliament fanatical.
since they desired the end of British Empire
altogether.13 In first week of February 1936, Bose Bose rejected the concept of ‘Maya’ and
met the Irish President Eamon De Valera, who alternatively accepted the reality of the world. He
belonged to a group of hundred volunteers who had was consequently a worshipper of Sakti and gave a
participated in the Irish Rebellion and was not hanged practical interpretation to the Vedanta for the uplift
but was just sentenced to life-long imprisonment. At of his countrymen. He also believed in the concept
the time of this visit, Bose in an interview at the of progressive evolution and for that acceptance of
Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin said: “The Irish struggle the concept of progress, he put forward three
for liberty had been followed with profound sympathy considerations. First, the observation of natural
by millions of Indians, who were also struggling for phenomena and history would indicate that there is
national freedom, and the success of Ireland had given progress. Secondly, he said that there is an intuitive
new heart to India”.14 apprehension that we are moving ahead. Thirdly, he
also adds an axiological consideration. He said that
During that time, Subhas Bose wrote a the faith in progress is a necessity both on biological
number of letters in Irish papers and supplied them and moral grounds. Although Bose was a great
with news and articles on the repressive measures admirer of the Vedantic philosophy in his adolescent
of the British imperialists in India.15 Besides this, years, gradually he became a social and political
Bose also planned to publish a monthly bulletin on realistic thinker. Like Tilak, Bose stood for action.
India in English, French and German languages in He was for the acceptance of the technique of
p.3
2
Ibid, p.5
3
Sisir K Bose and Sugata Bose (eds.), An Indian Pilgrim: An Unfinished Autobiography, Netaji Collected Works. Vol.
1, Oxford University Press, N R B, Calcutta and New Delhi,1997, p.5
Bose might have been abortive in attaining B.R.Nanda and V.C. Joshi ( eds), Netaji’s Life and Writings, Part.I, Thacker Spink & Company Ltd, Calcutta, 1948,
4
p.42
5
Shridhar Charan Sahoo, n.1, pp.7-8
his goal during his lifetime; but that should not deprive 6
7
Subhas Chandra Bose, Patravali; 1912-32(in Bengali), M.G. Sarkar & Sons Private Ltd, Calcutta, 1968, p.41
B.R.Nanda and V.C. Joshi ( eds), n.4, pp. 57-58
him of the credit of being a gifted leader and Subhas Chandra Bose, The Indian Struggle-1920-42, Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1964, p. 21
8
9
Daya Mukherjee, Subhas Chandra Bose Accelerator of India’s Independence: Political History, Biography, Gyan
Publishing House, New Delhi, 1997, pp. 28-29.
administrator as he had proved to be during his lifetime. 10
11
Subhas Chandra Bose, n.8, pp. 114, 141, 229, 304.
Shridhar Charan Sahoo, n.1, pp. 21-22
As a preacher of a human philosophy, Sub has 12
Alexander Werth (ed.), A Beacon Across Asia: A Biography of Subhas Chandra Bose, Orient Blackswan, Hyderabad,
1996, pp. 54-56
Ibid, p. 51
Chandra, through his life and vision, tried to awaken
13
14
The Irish Times, 3 February, 1936
15
Leonard A Gordon, Brother Against the Raj: A Biography of Indian Nationalists Sarat and Subhas Chandra Bose,
the sleeping human souls. His philosophy remains a Rupa & co, New Delhi, 2005, p. 305
16
Alexander Werth (ed), n.1, p.53
faultless mingling of human religion, freedom and For details see Presidential address to the All-India Forward Bloc Conference, Nagpur,18 June 1940, Selected
17
Subhas Chandra Bose’s Life Philosophy: Major Foundation of his Thought and its Impact on India 11
Dr. Ambedkar and Buddhism: Deliverance from Isolation
Prof. Anuradha Mukherjee
From time immemorial, India has been the rights and liberties in a country where mere citizenship
land of caste hierarchy based on the principle of is not sufficient enough to break through thousand
graded inequality. Inequality and consequently, obstacles that the still strong traditional identities
superiority or inferiority were not to be based on merit provoked in society. So Ambedkar’s call to conversion
but on birth and decided once and for all with no to his followers in Buddhism was not just a change of
possibility to change in the life’s long journey was religious belief. It meant to bring a radical change in
categorically sanctioned by all religious texts of every aspect of life, whether religious, social, political,
Hinduism. The great epics, the Puranas, the economic, cultural and every value-related sphere of
Dharmashastras and above all, the Bhagavat Gita human life. A much needed change for a dormant
– all echoed the same principle. Caste hierarchy based society blind to vicious social injustices was thus
on graded inequality by birth was not questioned, and ushered. It was a strong step taken towards a much-
the only school of thought that challenged it was needed change in social outlook, its importance being
Buddhism which, after Buddha’s death, lost its no less than any other social revolution of history.
strength and was defeated by the Brahmanic schools Ambedkar was working for a change and that change
of thought that eulogized the caste system. Dr. B.R. had to be radical because the injustices suffered were
Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism in 1956 with too heavy to wait for slow progress. The conversion
the mass conversion of his followers may be seen as in Buddhism was a social revolution designed to usher
a return to the original axiom of caste defiance as in a new era of progress based on the Dalit’s self-
propounded by the Buddha by a so-called low-caste development and not on the social conscience. The
man after thousands of years was a full circle drawn same motive guided Ambedkar in his views on
in the protest against the caste-system. And it was education which he regarded as one of the weapons
the beginning of the formation of Dalit identity in Indian in the hands of the down-trodden the other weapon
politics giving the Dalits a definite political orientation. being religious. He expressed his feelings on this point
thus,
Religion, identity and the downtrodden
Religion as a powerful medium of change was “Coming from the utter lowest level of the graded
grasped by Ambedkar in its stark reality. Conversion Hindu society I can appreciate how valuable is
was something that could change the Dalit mind. The education. The hypothesis which regards the issue
isolation, the social ostracisation that a Dalit must face of elevating the lower society as economic is greatly
cannot fail to produce an inferiority complex in him. erroneous, for it supposed that giving food, clothe and
By the power of religion the power of a community shelter and leaving them subordinate to the higher
is protecting him which even mere citizenship cannot classes, will elevate the Dalit society in India, when
give. Ambedkar, contemplating conversation wrote: in fact neither of which is the correct proposition that
“The inferiority complex of the Untouchables is the needed removal of inferior complex, which stunted
result of their isolation, discrimination and the their growth and to make them aware of the existing
unfriendliness of the social environment. It is these social system, which has mercilessly been looting their
which have created a feeling of helplessness which lives, in the context of its importance from the
are responsible for the inferiority complex which cost perspective of their own and that of the nation, and
him the power of self-assertion”1.In fact, the primary such malady is not to be achieved by any other means
motive of conversion was attaining rights and liberties than by dissemination of higher education to the Dalits
that were lacking completely under the caste-system. “ 2. The aspiration towards having a dignified life
Only a strong and positive identity can guarantee was through these two processes of education and
I was a student of Ranihat High School at for anything less, contrary to the thinking of many
others within the Congress. 1939 was the year which
Cuttack in the mid sixties. I will never forget how we
saw the rise and fall of this great personality in the
used to eagerly look forward to January 23rd, the
Congress. He dared to contest the nominee of
Birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. All the boys
Gandhiji, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, and defeated him for
of the school would wind our way to a mansion in
a second term as President of the INC. But finding
Odia Bazaar and assemble there to pay our heartfelt
that Gandhiji was in no mood to cooperate and allow
homage to that great son of the soil . I distinctly
him to function effectively, Subhas Bose quit office
recollect being overwhelmed by a feeling of patriotism
and set up his own party. When the Second World
and bravery as I listened to narrations about the
War broke, Subhas Bose thought it to be a God sent
exploits of Subhas Bose . It used to fill me with wonder
opportunity for him to align himself with the Axis
that God had chosen this mansion inside a lane in a
powers and strike a deal with them for securing
small city of Odisha to send one of his ablest children
Independence for India from British rule. To his utter
to earth! Though he traversed the world and became
dismay, the Axis powers were defeated and the
a great global leader, Cuttack remains enshrined in
advancement of Japan into Indian territory ended with
the history of India as the birthplace of this legendary
the British occupation of the Andaman and Nicobar
figure.
Islands. The reversal in the fate of Japan had a
As I grew up, the stature of Subhas Chandra cascading effect on the fate of Subhas Bose.
Bose only grew further in my eyes. He had been a
Subhas Bose led a very fascinating and
brilliant student, orator par excellence and patriotic
eventful life that had a great influence not only on his
to the core. He had a humble origin, starting his
admirers but also on his most avid critics. His love
schooling at Ravenshaw Collegiate School, an
for his country was absolute and uncompromising.
ordinary government school like my Ranihat School.
His sincerity of purpose rang in his every word as he
But by the stint of his brilliance, he could make his
used his oratory skill to easily win over his followers
way to reputed institutes like the Presidency College
and persuade them to make the supreme sacrifice
and Cambridge University. He did exceptionally well
for their country. His strong will-power drove him to
in the ICS exam to qualify for that coveted cadre.
achieve the impossible, whether it was escaping from
Anyone else in his place would have given up his
captivity under the very nose of the British or meeting
nationalistic ardour and joined hands with the British
Adolf Hitler (the Fuhrer of Germany). His conviction
to ensure a comfortable and brilliant career in the
in what he believed was so important to him that he
bureaucracy. But that would have been so unlike
did not hesitate to relinquish the highest office in INC
Subhas Bose. He threw away a cushy career for
simply because he did not have the freedom to carry
the hard and difficult road to Independence for his
out what he thought was best for the freedom
motherland from British rule. He started his political
movement.
career from scratch and steadily worked his way up
the hierarchy in the Congress Party. He had excellent What would have been the future course of
rapport with Gandhi, Nehru and Patel. His leadership events in our freedom movement had not Subhas Bose
qualities lifted him to the position of President of the resigned from the Presidency of the INC? Subhas
Congress Party in 1938. In the Lahore Convention in Bose had captured the mood of the nation and every
1938, the Indian National Congress (INC) adopted day his popularity was gaining ground. He believed
Purna Swaraj as the goal of the Independence that freedom could not be won by non-violent means
movement. Subhas Bose was not inclined to settle alone. This approach appealed to a sizeable section
26 World Focus May 2017
not only amongst the common people at large but linguistic regions, would not have been nipped in the
also within the Congress. Had he continued as the bud.
President of the party when the Second World War
broke, he would have certainly bargained with the He also believed in swift action,—whether it
British for preconditions to giving them Indian support. was carrying out instructions, achieving results,
He would have made the British agree to grant Purna enforcing the rule of law or imparting justice.
Swaraj before promising Indian support to the Allied Everything had to be conducted swiftly. So the judicial
powers. The moment the war was over, he would system as we have today would never have seen the
have pursued the goal of getting the British to pack light of day. The law enforcement system too would
and leave our country. He would not have allowed have been more responsive to the country’s needs.
the British to play the religious card, for which we The military grooming of all citizens would have
had to pay a heavy price through Partition and a blood certainly made Indians in general more civil and law
bath greater than the Holocaust. He would have been abiding. Seeking votes from minorities, on the basis
able to rein in Jinnah, to ensure that he did not fan of caste, creed, sex, language or religion, would never
communal feelings amongst his followers. HIs have become the norm. What about the politician as
impatience would have ensured that an undivided we see him today? His kind would never have been
India achieved Independence by early 1946. able to germinate under Subhas Bose. Nepotism,
favouritism, corruption, cheating would have been
If independence would have come to the dealt with severely and swiftly.
country under Subhas Bose’s leadership, it’s likely
that he would have opted for a Presidential form of Population growth would not have gone
Government. His first and foremost task as President unchecked. The patriot that he was, he would not
would have been to strengthen the new country’s have allowed his people to die of hunger or remain
defence machinery . All able bodied Indians, uneducated. School education would have been
irrespective of gender, would have been compulsorily strengthened as this is where character building takes
drafted into the military. He believed that wearing a place. Similarly, higher education would have been
uniform not only instills discipline in the wearer, but affordable for the common man. Health care would
also infuses him/her with a deep sense of patriotism. have been another focus area since we need a healthy
Given his strong personality and tremendous sense army to keep our country safe. In industry, it’s
of sacrifice for the country, he would have turned anyone’s guess whether he would have encouraged
into a benevolent ‘monarch’. industrial investment beyond manufacturing defence
related equipment. Even if industrialisation would have
For a person who could not be cowed down taken place, it would not have been at the cost of the
by threats and pressure, India’s foreign policy would environment.
have been aggressive and always from a position of
strength. He would not have allowed an incident like Far from being a hard core politician who
the 1962 Chinese aggression, when India was so ill- speaks in sugar coated language, Subhas Bose was
prepared to meet the serious challenge to its a soldier who spoke from his heart. He did not mince
sovereignty, to happen. words nor believed in appeasement. So there would
have been no mixed economy, socialistic pattern of
A tireless worker, he would have demanded society, reservation of posts/ seats/ vacancies, etc.
the same from his followers and countrymen The What about ‘federal in structure unitary in spirit’ and
entire country would have advanced in technological a host of other jargons which tell something but mean
skills, given the level of intelligence of Indians, and something else? We would have been spared such
the country would have seen a tremendous rate of hollow slogans. Subhas Bose meant business. The
growth. He believed in one language and that was twist of history in 1939 in INC has twisted the fate of
English. He would have seen to it that this language our country. This is not the place where Subhas Bose
was made the only language for imparting education wanted the country to be; nor is this the place we
and conducting business of the Government. So were supposed to be. Sadly, the great man remains
another danger to national unity, catering to different only in our memory and in the cry ’Jai Hind’!
The world has always been afflicted with law of the brute. The spirit lies dormant in the brute
conflicts of all sorts. The last two centuries have and he knows no law but that of physical might. The
been extremely conflict-prone with persistent dignity of man requires obedience to a higher law- to
problems, two major world wars and many proxy the strength of the spirit. To him, the only thing lawful
wars. While wielding of power remains the prime is non-violence. Violence, he abhorred, as a man-
motive of these conflicts, many of them are acts of made method as against the law made by Nature for
retaliation too. Partly, it can be attributed to deficiency man. The first requisite of non-violence, according to
in the spiritual and ethical values that are much him, is the consciousness of the living presence of
affecting the contemporary international relations. God within one (self). Based on this principle of non-
Wars are being waged for establishing the so-called violence and also truth, Gandhi espoused
democracies, overthrowing dictatorships, wars on ‘Satyagraha’. ‘Satyagraha for Gandhi always meant
terror, and wars to liberate people from state far more than the various interpretations of the word
oppressions. Wars are also being waged without as passive resistance, nonviolent resistance,
weapons. These have taken the forms of indirect nonviolent direct action and even militant nonviolence.
coercion and persuasion, imposing structural changes, In effect it means the discovery of truth and working
penetrating liberal market economies and resource steadily towards it, thus converting the opponent into
conflicts to mention in particular. Millions are forced a friend’2. Gandhi’s nonviolence was most evident
to fall into the traps of hunger, poverty and in his application of the principle of Satyagraha during
displacement. Wars are being fought at the political his pertinent struggle in South Africa for ensuring the
and social realms involving the state and non-state rights of Indian immigrants. It was not simply a
actors for reasons including political, social, cultural principle not to resort to arms but to commit steadfastly
and even environmental issues1. to non-violence. According to Emily Cohen,
‘Satyagraha is more than a simple definition. It is a
While the above is a much unwarranted principle with multiple dimensions, and we must
approach to settling conflicts, efforts have often been examine its relation to the concepts of power, action,
made by different groups in societies to settle the bravery and spirituality. To Gandhi, Satyagraha was
issue amicably. Significant contributions towards this a moral and effective way for the oppressed to seek
end have been made by the pacifists, peace activists/ justice. He purported that violence can only be quelled
crusaders, missionary members, peace educators, by nonviolence or resistance, and that retaliatory
members of national and international non- violence were never the answer. Satyagraha worked
governmental organizations and those conscientious as a form of resistance because it was not an attempt
citizens striving consistently for peace. This is not to to seek power over another; rather it is an attempt to
say that political class or leaders have not been influence others. It operated as a dialogue, and
involved. Time and again, history was witness to the genuinely sought to achieve reconciliation between
luminaries who made peace their mission and motto contesting parties’3.
in life. Some of them have worked constantly towards
establishing a non-violent method/alternative as means Gandhi says that he acquired Ahimsa after a
of settling conflicts. struggle. Such was his faith in nonviolence that he
considered it, along with truth, as a supreme virtue
One such figure in the world history is and a weapon of the brave. As per his confidence,
Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was vehement in his they are so intertwined that it is practically impossible
espousal of non-violence. As he remarked, non- to disentangle or separate them. As he reiterated, truth
violence is the law of our species as violence is the
28 World Focus May 2017
is the end and non-violence is the means4. That violence. Gandhi himself reiterated that the lesson of
Gandhi chose nonviolence as his method of waging non-violence is present in every religion….but all this
the struggle against the colonial rule instead of taking practice of nonviolence is nearly dead today. It is
up arms proves his enormous faith in the creed of necessary to revive the eternal law of answering anger
nonviolence. What constitutes this faith? Considering by love and of violence by nonviolence6.
the times of Gandhi, when violence was at its pinnacle
all over the world, the method of nonviolence came As the noted scholar Gene Sharp observed,
as a much better alternative method to fight violence “…nonviolent action has already had a long history,
and injustice. Gandhi was sure that his method of which has remained largely unknown because
nonviolence is superior because taking up arms or historians have been so overwhelmingly concerned
violence stems out of one’s insecurity or anticipating with other matters. Infact, there was until recently
real or imaginary harm. While it is much easier to so little awareness of the tradition and history of
become defensive through violence, it takes immense nonviolent struggle that nonviolent actionists have, by
courage to adhere to preach and nonviolence as one’s and large, improvised their responses independently
mission, the sign of true bravery. To Gandhi, non- of past practice. This situation is only now beginning
violence of the strong is any day stronger than that of to change”7.
the bravest soldier fully armed or a whole host5.
Nonviolent World Order
Why is nonviolence an important aspect of Centuries of strife, wars and disharmony have
our life? And why is to be pursued under any trying necessitated that the world be nonviolent and establish
circumstance? Is this method going to give us any peace for a better life. As violence took precedence
practical benefit? In this age of violence, does it hold few centuries ago, there arose a need, implicitly and
any relevance? The answers to the above can be too explicitly, to deal with it and do away with violence
many, too diverse and even contradictory, to some and its practices. Political authority and power were
extent. When we look in to the history, we understand thought of as some meaningful means to take
that nonviolence was highly espoused by all religious authoritative action against violence as the state is
scriptures, religious and peace teachers, and leaders. empowered to deal with these situations. But it led to
From the Vedic times, we had a dictum ‘Ahimsa further disharmony as violence was also put into force
paramo dharma’ (Nonviolence is the highest virtue). by the state through coercive methods and practices.
Another concept that is closely related to nonviolence With the violence on escalation, the state would justify
is peace. Together, peace and nonviolence formed it as a means of maintaining law and order. In order
core aspects of many religious teachings, scriptures to restrain the state violence, the non-actors and
and values. The notable among them, to cite, is from armed rebels have begun to resort to violence in the
the Yajurveda (36:17): name of ensuring the establishment of a just society.
Thus violence led only to disastrous results. While
May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well the power of violence leads to forceful submission of
as in the vast ethereal space everywhere. the subject, ‘nonviolence’, as Gandhi observed, ‘is a
May peace reign all over this earth, in water and more active and more real fighting against wickedness
in all herbs, trees and creepers. than retaliation whose very nature is to increase
May peace flow over the whole universe. wickedness’. Further, nonviolence is not the weapon
May peace be in the Supreme Being Brahman. of the weak but the strong. Only those who are willing
And may there always exist in all peace and peace to stand by truth and moral values have the courage
alone. to fight injustice and violence. As stated by Walter
Peace, peace and peace to us and all beings. Wink, “nonviolence is a spiritual challenge of epic
proportions. It calls upon the soul’s authentic longing
Nonviolence is thus an inherent aspect of all for heroism, for risking one’s life for an infinite stake,
the value systems. While nonviolence has been a for self-transcendence in giving oneself to others”8.
creed for many since centuries, it has been a much For a harmonious society and world, the contribution
neglected alternative as compared to the use of of various factors is essential if nonviolence is to
Politics in JNU and Ambedkar Leftists are known to be the most intolerant
JNU is in news for good and bad. Recently it has of dissent. There are many instances when the left
been accorded as the best university of the country. wing student union did not allow the ideology to be
But the bad news is weakening its vital organ. How heard and spoken in the campus. Arvind Gupta, adviser
did an institution with the maximum funding from the to the PM has not been allowed in JNU recently. In
state provide space for anti-national or anti-social 1997 Advani was not allowed in the campus. The
elements in the campus? In the name of free speech alliance of subversion, campus violence and speaking
and expression of freedom, it gradually turned to be of same language in certain campuses by separatists
a den of self-driven motivated bunch of individuals and ultra-leftists are visible nowadays. We have seen
how in JNU campus demands were also made to
India has been held back by the Nehruvian But current government is moving in the
approach and Congress governments that played to directions of Baba Shaeb’s thought. Modi was the
minority vote banks, and undermined the country’s first Prime Minister who visited Bhutan and Nepal
yogic dharmic and spiritual traditions. David Frawley after becoming the Prime Minister. That was a break
“ I think the failure of the Nehrivian approach and way from established trend of Indian Prime Minister’s
Congress governments up to 2014 set the stage. They entourage. Modi as a prime minister made the
tried to downplay India’s profound dharmic heritage Himalayan states more important. This was major
and ended up in massive corruption, causing people turning point in Indian foreign policy. Since then China
to lose their faith in the government. In contrast, the is very aggressive. Modi government is also working
Modi government has given a new importance to yoga on the long term strategy which was missing earlier.
and India’s dharmic values and traditions of the That why at the fag-end of his prime ministership,
country and as a matter of foreign policy. That politics Manmohan Singh uttered that India did not have
should be karma yoga is becoming better knowledge. strategic culture. With Modi’s doctrine China is feeling
Irfan Habib called it “state sponsored nationalism”. uneasy.
several countries including the United States. Th e attack on four young Dalit men, who were skinning cows killed
by a lion, involved mob beatings with sticks and rods for several hours. The Dalits were also insulted with caste-based
Ambekdar was quite clear in his conviction that the derogatory words, and forced in to a veh icle, where bea tings contin ued with a n iron. Hu ma n rights orga nizations
accuse the p olice of complicit y and involvement in th e atrocities, as the police present took no action to s top the
caste institutions affected Dalits differently; hence violence, an d even tu ally lock ed u p the fou r Dalit men in p olice cus tody. See
www.id s n . org/in d ian -govern men t-atta ck -atrocities-d a lits / “In d ia Govern men t u n d er att ack for atrocities again st
Da lits .”
he wanted to end the caste system itself. It is in 2
See “National Crimes Record Bureau Data, 2015: Slight Dip in Rape, Crime Against Women” September 01, 2016,
www.in dianexp ress .com
accordance with this conviction that Ambedkar “Cases of Atrocities on Dalits in th e Recent Past”,
3
days. The reason being that during the past seventy www. ecn omictimes .in d iat imes .com/n ews .
5
6
Ibid., no.3 .
“Amb edk a r
years of India’s independence, the caste system has ’s fight to abolish untouchability in India: Why we should know more about it”, www.indiatoday.in April 14, 2016.
7
Ibid., no.6 .
got further entrenched and has developed as social Anu rodh La lit Jain, “Let’s help realis e the vision of Ambed kar for Dalits ”, The Hind u, April 14, 2 013.
8
9
Ibid., no.8. Uttar Pradesh continues to have the dubious distinction of leading the list with approximately 3.2 lakh
p eople s till in volved in man u ally removin g hu man waste.
infrastructure of politics as Rajni Kothari advocated 10
Sreemoy Talu k d ar, “Atrocities on Dalits mu st b e tack led th rou gh in clusiven es s an d en forcemen t of la w, n ot
votebank politics”, August 10, 20 16, www.firstpost. com
in his magnum opus Caste in India. The standard Sagrika Ghose, “UP’s Dalits: Hindutva or Ambedkar?”, The Times of Ind ia, March 01, 2017.
11
12
R.K. Mish ra, “Role of Amb ed kar in Upliftmen t of Dalits in Ind ia”, www.you rart iclelibera ry.com
13
As quoted in R.K. Mishra, Ibid ., no. 13.
14
As quoted in Anurod h Lalit Jain, Ibid., no.8.
The Indian Freedom Struggle beyond the Frontiers under Subash Chandra Bose and the Odia Martyrs in INA 61
Panda is said to be the lone Odiya woman freedom National Army and the only Odia woman to have
fighter in the Jhansi regiment of Netaji Subash enlisted. Laxmi Panda’s parents too formed a part of
Chandra Bose’s I.N.A” [16] this workers army. Laxmi was born in 1930 near
Rangoon where her parents were engaged in the
Most of the soldiers were from Ganjam and Railways. She had early memories of the exploitation
Puri districts. Only two of them were from the district of the workers by the Gora Sahibs, and clearly
of Cuttack and one was from Balasore. 1100 civilians recalled that she too was engaged in the job of cutting
of Southern and Eastern India were detained in Burma grass for the horses of the white supervisors. When
which included many Odias. About fifty-five Odias the Japanese overran the parts of Burma in 1942,
of the Azad Hind Fauz were kept in the central jail of British air bombardments became a daily routine. Her
Rangoon. Important Odia soldiers and workers in the father was a soldier of Subash Bose’s Indian National
Azad Hind Fauz were Braja Mohan Pattanaik, Army, and both her parents were killed in a British
Krishna Chandra Tripathy, Kumari Lakshmi (of Rani air raid. The young Laxmi and her younger brother
Jhansi Wing), Nakula (of Bala Sena), Narasimha Das became orphans. They were mute witnesses of the
of Lochapada (Ganjam), Utsaba Pradhan (of Pakidi), death of their parents. [19] The determination to avenge
Mohan Pradhan, Somanath Panigrahi the death of her parents made her go to the nearby
(Ramchandrapur), Bira Patra (of Gobindapur), Rajan INA Camp where she begged for enrolment in the
Sarangi (of Mahulia). Ganesh Rath (of Pitala), Ananta rank and file. The frail Laxmi was hardly fourteen
Choudhury (of Kukudakhandi). The Odias in Burma years of age, and was refused by the Camp
took an important role in the movement of the Azad commanders. However she stayed outside the Camp
Hind Fauz for the inspiring address of the Major gates, and when Subash Bose came for inspection
General Lakshmi of Jhansi Rani Wing in Rangoon on she blocked his way. She was personally taken aside
the occasion of Kasturba Memorial Day. [17] to him, and her determination melted the hearts of
the INA leaders. She was taken in the Rani Jhansi
Braja Mohan Pattanaik was a very efficient Regiment under Captain Lakshmi Sehgal. Initially she
Odia officer in the Army who organised the Odias was given soft jobs of housekeeping and cooking, but
then in Burma in support of Subash. A disciple of the young Laxmi soon proved her mettle and won
Krishna Chandra Tripathy named Lakshmi (of ten the hearts of her superiors. She trained in
years) joined the Jhansi Rani Wing and was swordsmanship, shooting and espionage. As she was
imprisoned in Malay for her activities in Burma. On well versant with the Burmese Language, she was
July 20, 1943 Subash left Singapore for a tour to other often sent across enemy lines for collection of
South-East Asian countries. The main destination was intelligence. [20] She was working with the famous
Burma whose leader Dr. Ba Maw had invited Netaji Janaki Thevar, Gown, Shah Nawaz Khan, Sehgal and
to attend his country’s first independence ceremony Dhillon. Laxmi Panda recollected that, Netaji
on August 1, 1943. On this occasion the Burmese personally gave her a new name ‘Indira’, to avoid
Odias presented Rs. 21,111.00/- to Subash Bose. Sri confusing her with the famous Captain Lakshmi
Krushna Chandra Tripathy, an Odia patriot was Sehgal. Netaji told her that in the INA she would be
appointed as the public Relation Officer of Indian henceforth known as Indira. Six months of intensive
National Army14. As many as 350 Odia people were arms training in Burma shaped Laxmi into battle
admitted in the Indian National Army in one day. The readiness for the onward march to the battlefront on
top rank Odia Officers in the Indian National Army the India-Burma border. Laxmi Panda recalled how
were Colonel Brajmohan Patnaik, Doctor Birkishore Netaji had instructed her regiment to break into groups
Bhuyan, lieutenant Nrusingh Charna Dash, Krushna of 150 to move out of Rangoon when the INA was
Chandra Tripathy, Damodar Panda, Gadadhar retreating. Laxmi was in the second group that was
Mahapatra, Agadhu Samntara and Raghunath led by Janaki Thevar and had a rough retreat, their
Behera. [18] train was bombed and the women had to walk to
Bangkok-it took 26 days of night marches braving
Laxmi Panda was one of the youngest bombs and machine guns firing at them. Food was
members of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s Indian scarce; they ate roots and boiled leaves. Many a time
The Indian Freedom Struggle beyond the Frontiers under Subash Chandra Bose and the Odia Martyrs in INA 63
The 48 th birthday of Netaji was Then the ceremony of taking the oath of
enthusiastically celebrated by the people in South- Allegiance took place in an emotionally charged
East Asia. They donated gold and jewellery weighing atmosphere. Amidst cheers, Netaji read out the oath,
one and half times of his weight. Subhas donated all “In the name of God I take this sacred oath that to
these wealth to the war fund and went to the battle liberate India and 38 crores of my countrymen, I,
front on the bank of river Irrawaddy to boost the Subash Chandra Bose, will continue the sacred war
morale of his troops. Then, Netaji broadcasted a of freedom till the last breath of my life.” His voice
message to Mahatma Gandhi praying for his blessings failed and he wiped his eyes with his handkerchief.
for the Indian War of Independence. In that message He tried to overcome his emotions and with difficulty
he gave justification of his escape from India, resumed in a steady voice “I shall always remain a
collaboration with the Axis Powers and the objectives servant of India and look after the welfare of 38 crores
of his Provisional Government of Azad Hind. He was of Indian brothers and sisters. This shall be form my
the first man to address Gandhiji as the ‘Father of highest duty. Even after winning freedom, I will always
the Nation’. [27] be prepared to shed the last drop of my blood for the
preservation of India’s freedom.” [29]
Netaji favourably influenced the
Governments of Germany and Japan and enlisted Then other members of the Provisional
their support for the light for freedom of India. During Government took holy oath to liberate India and to
World War II Burma was captured by Japan and remain absolutely faithful to their leader Netaji.
British army was fully defeated and INA marched Actually, these martyrs remained committed to this
up to Imphal of Manipur through dense forests and oath till the end of their life and their immortal life
hills, incessant rains and inclement weather. The will remain an eternal source of inspiration and
patriotic slogan “Delhi chalo” (March to Delhi) enlightenment to all. Spoken as a part of a motivational
reverberated the vast areas once occupied by the speech for the Indian National Army at a rally of
British. [28] Indians in Burma on 4 July 1944, Bose’s most famous
quote was “Give me blood, and I shall give you
In May 1944 the INA captured Kohima and freedom!” In this, he urged the people of India to join
hoisted the tricolour flag of independence on the him in his fight against the British Raj. Spoken in Hindi,
Indian soil. On 21 October Netaji inaugurated the Bose’s words are highly evocative.
provisional Government of free India. But the
combined army of the allied powers rushed to north- Japanese also took possession of Andaman
east India in huge number and defeated the INA. and Nicobar Islands in 1942 and a year later, the
However, they could not defeat or capture Netaji. Provisional Government and the INA were
established in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with
Netaji declared the formation of the Lt Col. A.D. Loganathan appointed its Governor
Provisional Government of Azad Hind and the names General. The islands were renamed Shaheed
of the Cabinet members who signed the proclamation. (Martyr) and Swaraj (Independence). However, the
Subhas Bose was the Head of the State, Prime Japanese Navy remained in essential control of the
Minister and Minister for War, Foreign Affairs and island’s administration. During Bose’s only visit to
Supreme Commander of the INA. Others were Capt. the islands in early 1944, when he was carefully
Miss Lakshmi, Women’s Organisation; S. A. Ayer, screened, by the Japanese authorities, from the local
Publicity and Propaganda; Lt. Col. A.C. Chatterjee, population who at that time were torturing the leader
Finance; Lt. Col. Aziz Ahmed, Lt. Col. N.S. Bhagat, of the Indian Independence League on the Islands,
Lt.Col. Shah Nawaz and so on. The proclamation of Dr. Diwan Singh, who later died of his injuries, in the
the Provisional Government of Azad Hind 1943 Cellular Jail. The islanders made several attempts to
provided fillip to the freedom struggle and it claimed alert Bose to their plight, but apparently without
the allegiance of every Indian irrespective of caste, success. Enraged with the lack of administrative
creed and class. [28] control, Lt. Col Loganathan later relinquished his
The Indian Freedom Struggle beyond the Frontiers under Subash Chandra Bose and the Odia Martyrs in INA 65
The Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the 21st Century:
A Man of Action
Dr. Saleem Ahmad
“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your Moreover, Palestinians see huge potential in Mahatma
thoughts become your words. Your words become Gandhi’s philosophy, they believe, “non violence is
your actions. Your actions become your habits. stronger than militant action, we can give up the fight
Your habits become your values. Your values for a Palestinian state, but we will never give up our
become your destiny.” fight for equal rights and for democratic rights in a
Mahatma Gandhi1 state where Israelis and Palestinians together live.
Ideal Our acknowledgment of defeat in one battle is also a
The first of the names that we heard among the call for struggle in another battle, and it will be
freedom fighters and national heroes is that of remained a non-violent struggle”.5
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also known as
Mahatma Gandhi, or Bapu. He is on India’s currency Ahimsa
notes as ideal, buildings and roads are named after The word Gandhi is about that Mohandas Karamchand
him, and most importantly, the leading political party Gandhi, who on the basis of his excellent and inspiring
carries out his last name through its leaders like Indira life and works became an icon and ideal not only for
Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, his contemporaries all over the world, but also equally
the name that they inherit from his lineage. Mahatma for generations to come. The legacy, he has left through
Gandhi taught, the people of India, it’s very first his actions, which he successfully carried out on the
lessons of peace, tolerance, truth & non-violence, strength of the supreme human value of Ahimsa, in
Satyagraha, the non-cooperation movement, the Quit fact, makes him relevant for all times to come.
India Movement, the Dandi March, and of belief in Gandhism is, in simple words, a combination of
one’s own faith. He played a crucial role in India’s Mahatma Gandhi’s views, practices and actions. It
independence and made its relevance on the consists of ideas, which Mahatma Gandhi presented
international level. 2 Therefore, India’s freedom before the world and his actions which he described
movement places as one of the best examples of non- “as his experiments with truth”.6 He treated his
violent resistance to the British occupation of India. individual life in accordance with his ideas, therefore,
On August 15, 1947, India gained liberation from the those who hold merely his ideas to be the Gandhism,
British Raj, and significantly, he was guiding in the they are not correct. Mahatma Gandhi has
long struggle of freedom movement. Equally, simultaneously been a man of action; it is unfair if
Mahatma Gandhi was an idealist and his actions merely his ideas are named as Gandhism. It is
gained the attention of the world and stand as a necessary to make a fair analysis of his life on one
challenge to those who advocate the effectiveness hand, and Gandhism, on the other. Gandhism is entirely
of violent resistance today.3 For instance, Mahatma based on Ahimsa, non-violence. Ahimsa is the most
Gandhi is not physically present in Palestine, however, ancient, perpetual, individual as well as social welfare
he is there in spirit, and there is hundreds of thousands and all-timely value. It is a religion in splendour. It is
of Palestinians who are following non-violent permanently present in human nature.7 Moreover, it
resistance movement in the finest tradition of is an essential condition for human existence, the basis
Mahatma Gandhi. For Palestinians, they have adopted of development and the achievement of goal in life.
in their daily lives a culture of non-violent. Moreover, It is a soul force, a virtue of the soul. The soul itself is
Palestinian children resist the will of their occupiers a part of truth. Hence, being a permanent, eternal,
non-violently as they make their daily journey to school and a virtue of the soul simultaneously, Ahimsa is a
despite the long waits at the checkpoints and the truth based value; truth is perpetual, it is permanent.
harassment at the hands of Israeli Defense Forces.4 Nevertheless, some of the points which are as follow:8
66 World Focus May 2017
·To accept Ahimsa by understanding the basic spirit him to coin this word. He not only preached the tenets
at the root of non-violence, making intent underlying of Satyagraha, but also lived and acted them. He
the act the acid test of Ahimsa in particular; showed by actual examples how these basic principles
· To identify the strength of Ahimsa, realizing its could be used to transform the world into a better
necessity and inevitability in life with sincerity; place.11 As Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “Satyagraha is
· To have patience toward outcomes of Ahimsa, the vindication of truth not by infliction of suffering
having full faith and trust in it and to get enough on the opponent but on one’s self.” It is not a meeting
courage produced by non-violence; of violence with violence. Instead, it is a struggle
· To accept Ahimsa as a dynamic force, making it from within in the purest form. Today we see men
the basis of one’s day-to-day practices and to proceed against men and nations against nations fighting with
accordingly and continuously; great military strength. This is not the world Mahatma
· To be ready to resolve disputes, conflicts and Gandhi envisaged. Satyagraha is the noblest and best
struggles through Ahimsa and activities related to it, education. This is the education we badly need today
realizing the fact that non-violence is the only means for humanity.12 The term Satyagraha was first coined
to resolve problems or there is no other effective by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa to express the
means available to accord success in this regard tendency of the Indian minds and methods of meeting
except Ahimsa; violence, injustice or of thwarting unjust laws of racial
· To accept Ahimsa as the basic source of establishing discrimination practiced by the white minority there.
cooperation at larger scale, acknowledging the reality It is a method which involves a breach of the law, but
of solution through cooperation and to take the way without causing physical harm to the agents of the
of non-violent non-cooperation with the purpose of law.13 The purpose is to undermine the unjust system
ascertaining cooperation; to persist as a non-co- so that it gives way and reform can be achieved. It
operator until the goal is not achieved, cooperation is was conceived as a weapon of the strongest and
not ascertained, but to be ready meanwhile to absorb excludes the use of violence and hatred in any shape
success even if it is partly; or form. Satyagraha is a relentless search for truth
· To accept the triumph achieved through Ahimsa as and determination to reach truth and it’s literally
win-win state, taking it not the victory of one and means holding on to truth. Mahatma Gandhi called it
defeat of the other as Vinobha Bhave has rightly “soul force”. Non-violence is the basis of Satyagraha.
pointed out, “One man’s victory is other man’s defeat It is quite proper to resist and attack a system, but to
is true in the realm of violence. In the spare of non- resist and attack its author is equivalent to resisting
violence one man’s victory is also another man’s and attacking oneself.14
victory”.9
Relevance
This is the message of Mahatma Gandhi to However, looking at the present state of affairs in
the entire world. In his life, he acted himself India as well as in the world, one would probably
accordingly, in consonance with his ideas. As Gandhi’s think that Gandhism, whatever the term may mean,
works and views are dedicated to Ahimsa; they are cannot have any relevance in this 21st century. Today,
for the welfare of one and all, Sarvodaya, therefore, Mahatma Gandhi is remembered in India mostly on
they are significant in current perspective and will be his birthday which is celebrated as a national holiday
in all times to come. If these values are refined as rather as a ritual. As a matter of fact, India is not
per the demand of time and space, and applied following any of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings which
accordingly, results will themselves prove the are mostly confined to text books. In fact, since
relevance of Gandhism.10 independence, the country has witnessed many violent
communal riots in this multi communal country. Two
Satyagraha of India’s former prime ministers, Indira Gandhi and
One of Mahatma Gandhi’s principles is Satyagraha. Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated by countrymen in
Satya means Truth and Agraha means firmness. broad daylights.15 If one takes a survey, most Indians
Racial discrimination in South Africa awakened would probably say that Gandhism is a flop ideology
Mahatma Gandhi’s social conscience and this lead just like communism and it is not practical in this 21st
The Labour Department prepared Policy Ambedkar believed that the river waters
Statement which indicated the Central Government’s were a national heritage and a national policy is
approach both to the RCC and the Provincial needed to use the water for multipurpose by multi
Governments on the development of (a) irrigation, states, to serve the larger sections of the society,
waterways and drainage; (b) development of electric cutting across the states. Ambedkar while criticising
power; and (c) inland water transport.9 the Govnment of India Act of 1935, which treated
railways as a central subject and waterways (rivers)
Irrigation, Waterways and Drainage: as state subject, pointed out several disadvantages of
According to the Policy Statement development of this error. He stated that “A province needs electricity
Irrigation, Waterways and Hydroelectric power was and irrigation and wishes to utilise its water resources
basic to the industrial and agricultural development for the purposes but it cannot do so because the
of the country. Food supply and people’s prosperity point at which water can be dammed lies in another
directly depended upon wider irrigation, soil province with no interest in it for various reasons,
conservation, and flood control. Major and medium and would not allow the needy to use the site. A
schemes of irrigation were required to increase food province whose lands and forests would come under
supplies and cultivable land. Importance was given submergence involving substantial relief and
to increase the use of pumps, increase the water rehabilitation might not allow the project to come up.
supply to existing canal system, and measures against Complain as much as we like, a province can take
water logging. In the Policy Statement, the planning such an unfriendly attitude and justify it in the name
and execution of this subject was rested with the fo provincial autonomy.”11
Provinces and States. The Central Government was
ready to provide technical and financial assistance. II. Policy Issues
Provision was also made to appoint a Consulting The Policy Statement advocated greater participation
Engineer to work as a Development Officer and or partnership by the Central Government in the
reorganisation of the Central Board of Irrigation. development of irrigation and hydroelectric power
Inland Water Transport: of the Provinces than was permitted under the 1935
The soul (Atman), indeed, is below. The Soul Gandhi considered individual as a spiritual
is above. The Soul is to the west. The Soul is to the being, endowed with a divine mission to fulfill. He
east. The Soul is to the South. The Soul is to the considered individual as the soul and according to him,
north. The Soul, indeed, is this whole world. Verily, his true nature was freedom, which was self-realisation
he who sees this, who thinks this, who understands or realization of God. He said that individual who had
this, who has pleasure in the Soul, who has delight in realized his freedom might be said to had attained his
the Soul, who has intercourse with the Soul, who has swaraj or self-government which was synonymous
bliss in the Soul – he is autonomous (sva-raj); he with Moksha or salvation. According to Gandhi, the
has unlimited freedom in all worlds. But they who highest goal in life was to attain moksha, to become
know otherwise than this are heteronomous one with or dissolve oneself into the cosmic spirit.
(anyarajan); they have perishable worlds; in all Moksha involved the complementary processes of
worlds they have no freedom.6 dissolving the self by eliminating desires and dissolving
the other by attaining total identification with all
According to Vedantic philosophy we are creation. He considered it as a process of self-
infinite and eternal. If we thinks ourselves finite and conversion and mental revolution.
mortal, it is the result of Maya or Avidya.7 The
concept of swaraj has received a very prominent According to him, self-realisation meant
place in Gandhi’s spiritual, political, social and discovery of and total identification with God, that is,
“Morality is not the doctrine of how we may make for morality and is based on the principle of greatest
ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves good to the greatest number.
worthy of happiness.”
- Immanuel Kant Deontological ethics comprises normative
theories which regard choices as being morally
Introduction: required, forbidden, or permitted. In simplistic terms,
The term ‘morality’ covers the vast expanse of deontontology is the ethical position that judges
differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions. It morality of an action based on the action’s adherence
enables a distinction between those that are right and to a rule or rules. It presupposes the existence of an
those that are not. It may refer to certain conventional incontrovertible duty, while denying the moral worth
normative standards or universal ones depending of consequences. This ethical theory is best
upon one’s vantage. When we speak of it in the latter understood in contrast with consequentialism.
sense it is almost invariably premised upon some Immanuel Kant, the very proponent of deontological
understanding of human beings being rational beings. ethics argues that it is not the consequences of actions
It is more or less a given that normativity is peculiar that make them right or wrong but the motives of the
to humans on account of them being conscious rational person who carries out the action. In his book
agents. Therefore the prefix ‘human’ in the given Metaphysics of the morals he argues that “Nothing
topic is but superfluous. Perhaps its usage here is in the world - indeed nothing even beyond the
merely to impress upon the obvious. world - can possibly be conceived which could
be called good without qualification accept a
When we talk about morality, there can be good will”i.e. only thing that is truly good in itself is
mainly two approaches one being teleological or a good will and a good will is only good when the
consequentialist approach and the other being willer chooses to do something because it is that
deontological or neo-Kantian. The teleological or person’s duty which is out of respect for the moral
consequential, as the name suggests is the view that law. According to him, the consequences of an act
normative properties depend on consequences i.e. cannot be channelized to determine whether a person
whether an act is morally right or wrong depends has a good will rathergood will exists when he acts
entirely on its consequences. An action is right if it out of respect for the moral law by conceiving it as
brings about the best outcome of the choices his duty. Kant gave an a priori justification for this
available, otherwise it is wrong. The advocates of deontological theory of ethics. For example the notion
this philosophy have propounded this theory’s of war from the consequentialist point of view is that
prototype which is also known to us by the name of all wars want to achieve the final end by stabilizing
Utilitarianism. Itis the claim that an act is morally the society and establishing peace, it doesn’t matter
right if and only if that act maximizes the good, that how many humans being killed in the war whereas
is, if and only if the total amount of good for all minus the deontologist would argue that the very notion of
the total amount of bad for all is greater than this net killing humans is immoral per se and it is against the
amount for any incompatible act available to the agent very nature of human beings.
on that occasion. The core insight of the theory of
utilitarianism is that morally appropriate behaviour The second part of the subject under
will not harm others, but instead increase happiness consideration deals with Social Justice that is Justice
or ‘utility’. This principle is a posteriori justification culminated and exercised within a society as it is
Each person has the same indefeasible claim to a It was Aristotle who said that justice is the
fully adequate scheme of equal basic liberties, highest virtue which can be achieved either through
which scheme is compatible with the same scheme lawfulness or fairness in society. Fairness is a larger
of liberties for all. expression and usually there is a relationship between
Social and economic inequalities are to satisfy what is lawful and what is fair. There can be
two conditions: discrepancy where something might be lawful but
They are to be attached to offices and positions unfair, and hence justice would not be achieved in
open to all under conditions of fair equality of such a situation. But if there is a system where there
opportunity. is a convergence or the distance between what is
They are to be to the greatest benefit of the least law and what is fair is minimal, then justice prevails
advantage members of society. in such a system. Moreover, law in a society is not
only defined by its formal structure but also by the
Social justice provides the very foundation substantive objectives which are indispensable to a
for a healthy community. It grows out of our sense proper understanding of that law. As we have already
that each person has a value, and it only by recognizing discussed how morality falls into the category of
Dr. Ambedkar’s ideas have inspired innumerable Ambedkar in the present times. The second part aims
scholars across disciplines and ages. Dr. to trace inter- disciplinary approach in Dr.
Ambedkar was much ahead of his times and Ambedkar’s works. The third part is a summary of
contemporaries. He gave crucial insights in the the survey based on a questionnaire on Dr. Ambedkar
then prevalent problems which hold relevance and the relevance of his ideas in the 21 century.
even till date. Hence his views still have universal
appeal. This paper tries to establish the relevance Social Sciences and experimentations in the 21
of Dr Ambedkar’s ideas in the 21st century, a century
century which is scientific, hi-tech and virtual, Nicholas. A. Christakis (Professor of Social and
yet provide enough space for timeless ideas. The Natural Sciences) at Yale University believes that
paper highlights Dr Ambedkar’s contribution rediscovery of experimentation is going to radically
towards original research. A focused study of his change the social sciences in the 21 century. He gives
works prove that good research based upon an example from his own virtual laboratory created
science, tutored by theory and fuelled by action online where volunteers from different parts of the
and supported by inter disciplinary approach is world participate in the experiments where they are
a fruitful exercise which benefits generations assigned different networks and different worlds.
across centuries. Another objective of the paper Their behaviour in these worlds and networks is
is to highlight his ideas in the field of economy, keenly observed. The results of such experimentation
education and women empowerment which are are as follows-
otherwise being overshadowed by his thought on 1.In the beginning 65% of these volunteers co-operate
caste system. with their neighbours, however co-operation declines
when neighbours are abusive and rude towards each
Introduction: other.
“A great man is different from an eminent one in that 2.Co-operation decline in fixed networks.
he is ready to be the servant of the society”. Dr. 3.Co-operation was maintained when volunteers could
Ambedkar was a great man because he achieved rewire their networks (they could cut ties with
eminence yet he preferred to serve the society in the abusive people and form ties with those who were
most humble manner. Babasaheb as he is popularly co-operating).
called; is primarily remembered as a leader of the 4.There is a deep relationship between social network,
untouchables and fondly remembered as The Father human behaviour and co-operation. Human social
of the Indian Constitution, unfortunately, his orders that are fixed and do not permit reworking by
credentials as an efficient research scholar are choice of the members do not lead to compatibility
unknown to majority of us. Dr. Ambedkar’s works and co-operation between the members.1.
are a testimony to the fact that a good research work
should be tutored by theory yet prepared with field This experiment conducted in the Yale
work. His works are based on scientific study and University in present times reconfirms what Dr.
most importantly on inter disciplinary approach. Ambedkar proved decades before when he talked
about the fixity of the Hindu Social Order, its graded
The paper is divided into three parts. The inequality and fixation of people in their respective
first part deals with the 21 century research in social classes. In his own words,
sciences and tries to establish the relevance of Dr.
Evaluation of Dr. Ambedkar’s Inter-Disciplinary Approach in Research and Its Relevance in the 21st Century 91
Manusmriti, Vedas, Upnishadas and Bhagwad Gita We have made a study of Dr. Ambedkar’s
among others. In his prominent work on Buddhism, inter- disciplinary approach. It is interesting to know
“Bubddha and His Dhamma” ,he carefully explains that being a trained Economist he also contributed
Buddha’s teachings, at the same time he interpret towards the development of a broad understanding
His teachings in a new light.eg. he explains the on some of the then relevant economic issues.
difference between “Nibbana” and “Parinibbana”. Babasaheb’s deep insight into the economic problems
According to Dr. Ambedkar Nibbana does not mean not only present him as an academic economist but
extinction of passion, it means no addition of fuel to also makes him relevant in contemporary times. Dr.
the fire of passion. On the other hand, Parinibbana Ambedkar was not merely involved in academic
means body becoming completely disintegrated with writing but tried to balance it with the real progress
all its sensations dying away and all ceasing of of policy making and economic planning. He was a
activities.7.In the same book, Dr. Ambedkar also minister (in charge of labour, irrigation and power
challenges the common understanding that Buddha portfolio) during 1942-1946.He insisted on
took ‘Parivraj’ because he was sad at the sight of a industrialization for the overall development of our
sick man, a dead man and an old man. Dr. Ambedkar economy. He suggested that excess of population
challenges this common notion of the cause of from agriculture can be utilised into gainful
Parivraj and gives an alternative understanding of the employment in industry. It should not be misunderstood
same. Siddartha took Parivraj at the age of 29. It that he was against agricultural development but the
cannot be expected that till this age he had not imbalanced economy had to be remedied by intensive
witnessed such sights. The real reason to leave home industrial development so that both agriculture and
was to prevent a war between the Shakya and the industries can flourish together, not at the cost of each
Koliya clans over the issue of water. Siddartha came other. Dr. Ambedkar also stressed the importance of
to know about the peace between the two clans yet increasing labour productivity. He differed from Pandit
he continued his renunciation because he wanted to Nehru on the point that growth in the national income
find an ultimate answer to the problem of the tussle should be the aim of economy, rather he insisted on
between classes. According to Dr. Ambedkar, the adequate standards of living for all and the recognition
‘Four Aryan Truths’ are not a part of the original of the basic rights of all Indians in sharing the national
teachings of Buddha. Babasaheb questioned the basis wealth.9.We cannot deny the fact that his ideas are
of the ‘Four Noble Truths’ and argued that Buddhism so relevant today. The Skill India programme initiative
cannot be a religion that offers sorrow. If life and of the present government is a testimony to the fact
death are sorrow, how can Buddhism offer happiness that investment in labour is a good investment.
to a common man? Why should a common man
embrace such a religion? Religion should offer hope Gender Studies- Sharmila Rege (feminist
and a promise of betterment; hence Babasaheb Scholar who wrote about intersection of gender and
presented Buddhism to the non-Buddhist in a new caste) believed that Dr. Ambedkar is under-
light. Buddhism does not aim at ‘Dukh’ rather it aims represented in the Universities, In her own words “It
to end the suffering. 8.This interpretation of the seems appalling that students and teachers, like myself,
teachings of Buddha by Dr. Ambedkar are can in most cases sail through postgraduate and
commendable. In an age of ‘information overload’ research degrees in social sciences and practise
we find difficult to interpret the available data in the women ‘s studies in the academia without even having
most effective manner. The easy availability of the read the writings and speeches of Ambedkar”10.Dr.
numerous possibilities of the numerous interpretations Ambedkar is not only under-represented but also
of the same data leads to confusing and complicated misunderstood. During the debates on the Hindu Code
deductions. Babasaheb’s effort to stay close to the Bill he spoke about the necessity of the share of a
text as well as the context in which it was written widow, a daughter, widow of a pre-deceased son in
motivates us to be thorough with the primary and inheritance. In addition to this, the share of a daughter
secondary sources so that we can make our research and a son should be equal in the property of the father.
reliable and relevant. Dr. Ambedkar is not only relevant in contemporary
times but his ideas need much propagation in times
Findings:
The above pie chart depicts that 50% respondents Findings:
remember Dr Ambedkar as the leader of the The above pie chart depicts that 100% of the
Untouchables, 35% remember him as Father of Indian respondents consider untouchability still prevalent in
Constitution and just 15% remember him as a great India.
scholar.
5. Do you support Inter-caste marriages?
2. What is Dr. Ambedkar ’s greatest
contribution?
Findings:
The above pie chart depicts that 100% of the
Findings: respondents support Inter-caste marriages.
The above pie chart depicts that 55% respondents
consider The Constitution of India as Dr Ambedkar’s
Evaluation of Dr. Ambedkar’s Inter-Disciplinary Approach in Research and Its Relevance in the 21st Century 93
Summary of the Survey Report before in a more conservative and closed society.
The survey shows that Dr. Ambedkar’s scholarly The Universities in India have started offering papers
pursuits are lesser known in comparison to his on Dr. Ambedkar and students are also interested in
popularity as a leader of the untouchables and the his studies. It is suggested that Dr. Ambedkar should
father of the Indian Constitution. The second question be included at the school level in a more creative
reaffirms the responses to the first question. These manner which make the malleable minds aware of
are important results of the survey because the the diverse achievements of Babasaheb, and this will
respondents are of the age group of 18-21 years. be a real tribute to Dr. Ambedkar.
This means our youth are also taken over by the
predominant images created by society. The young, References
independent minds are to a certain extent, conditioned 1. http://www.edge.org>conversation>nicholas
by the popular myths and beliefs. The responses to 2. “Ambedkar,B.R., “The Hindu Social Order: Its Essential
the third question bring comfort in the sense that some Principles” Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar,Writings and
of the present young population has read Dr. Speeches, Volume 3, ,Dr.Ambedkar Foundation,1987
Ambedkar’s works. The fourth question highlights
ISBN(set)-978-93-5109-064-9
the level of awareness of the youth to the prevalence
3. Ambedkar B.R,..,”Castes in India-Their Mechanism,
of Untouchability. The responses to the last question
Genesis and Development”,. Babasaheb
is a testimony to the fact that there is change in the
mindset of people towards inter- caste marriages. Ambedkar.Writings and Speeches,Vol ,1,Dr.Ambedkar
The 100% response in its favour by the young Foundation, ISBN(set)-978-93-5109-064-9, 1979.pp9-13
respondents proves that change is inevitable. 4. Ambedkar,B.R..”The Untouchables Who Were They
And Why They Became Untouchables” part i,part ii
Conclusion 5. Ambedkar,B.R, “Annihilation of Caste”Dr.Babasaheb
Dr. Ambedkar was a multi faceted individual. The Ambedkar Writings and Speeches,Vol 1,Dr.Ambedkar
paper aimed at highlighting the vast expanse of his Foundation, ISBN 978-93-5109-064-9,2014,1979pp 43-45
knowledge. It also tried to project Dr. Ambedkar in a 6. Ambedkar,B.R..”The Untouchables who Were They
different light –As a scholar par excellence and as
And Why They Became Untouchables”,Part iii Chapter
an active academician. David Easton appealed the
vii
academicians to engage in solving problems of the
society .Dr. Ambedkar exemplifies an academician 7. Ambedkar,B. R..”The Buddha and His Dhamma”pp-130
who not only expanded the horizons of knowledge 8. Omvedt,Gail”Liberty,Equality,Community : Dr.
with his rich contributions but also actively participated Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Vision of a New Social Order”
in solving the problems of society. pp12-13
9. Thorat,S,”Economic System,Development and Economic
Babasaheb should be followed by the Planning”, in Thorat, S. And Aryama (eds),Ambedkar in
academic fraternity who find it difficult to balance Retrospect:Essays on Economics,Politics and Society”,
teaching and personal research in contemporary times. Delhi:Rawat Publishers, 2007,pp-30-33
It is good to discuss the relevance of his ideas in the 10. Rege,S.,”Against the Madness of Manu”,in B.R.
21 century, but we must also understand that 21
Ambedkar’s Writings on Brahmanical Patriachy ,Navyana
century also reiterates what Babasaheb said years
publication,pp-13-59
Revered the world over for his Non-violent globalization but in a positive manner. His uniqueness
philosophy of passive resistance, Mohandas did not lie in the fact that he was extraordinary but in
Karamchand Gandhi was known to his many his being extraordinarily ordinary and this simplicity
followers as Mahatma, or “the great soul.” We of his was reflected in his thoughts too. His idea of
are today passing through an extremely swadeshi which talks of ‘production for neighbours’
controversial phase of terrorism and much if applied to the world at large with his theory of
explosive violence around the world. Mahatma ‘antyodaya’ or the ‘the last man’ which speaks of
Gandhi was unique in this modern world to every individual with the basic necessities can negate
advocate his non-violent methods for solving the effects of globalization by ensuring everyone fruits
social, economic, political and religious problems. of developmental process. In this context, his
It is in this context that we have to examine the philosophy of satyagrah which according to him
efficacy of warfare without weapons and also the meant ‘the force which is born of truth or violence’
relevance of Mahatma with a contemporary eye. is required more in the contemporary world scenario
Gandhi is regarded and would be regarded in where accumulation of nuclear weapon has become
world history as the most visible, most spectacular, the means to attain supremacy. Despite the efforts
most single-minded and most pure-hearted symbol of various peace keeping forces the threat of nuclear
of redeemed humanity. In this paper the discussion war persist in the sub consciousness of world and
shall gradually highlight Gandhi’s concept of the only method which has potentially to remove this
ideal State and its sublime meaning along with ‘ever lingering fear’ is satyagrah. It is true that a
some conceptual issues. The paper concludes by vast difference has come in the approach and mindset
arguing that the secret of Gandhi’s relevance in of Indians in these more than sixty years of
the threshold of contemporary world was his great independence, thus it is imperative that people will
spirit of universal love and renunciation. He had look askance at individuals who try to propagate
trodden the pathway into India’s heart. Gandhian principle but despite this it is impossible to
deny his relevance. The only change that can be made
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) was an is to serve the same cuisine on a different platter to
original thinker, a unique leader and above all a true remove the spiritual veil which covered it and modify
rebel and played an important part in the awakening his philosophy so that it appeals to the scientific mind
of modern India. Gandhian philosophy has always of today’s generation. Besides, the vedantic
been a topic of discussion especially in this philosophy of ‘asto ma sadgamay’ subjugates to the
contemporary world where his ideas appear engulfing darkness. It is here when Gandhi’s weapon
redundant amidst the pragmatism and materialism. of ‘satya’ and ‘compassion’ come into play and helps
In this fast globalizing world where capitalism is in restoring the light to the darkening world. He
gradually becoming the word of the day, Gandhi’s was not an ivory tower philosopher, rather a political
concept of decentralization of means and resources scientist in modern sense of the term. Gandhi was
and his model of economic development which talked essentially a man of people and vibrant action. To
of developing villages as an independent production him, the greatest fact in the history of mankind was
and administrative unit has become more relevant in not what the common people achieved materially but
order to save us from various economic, social, ethical the growth of their soul from age to age in its true
and emotional hazards which are the consequence search for the moral truth and wisdom. Gandhi had a
of this large scale industrialization and have become profound faith on the idea of nation building in India.
silent killers of the human race. Gandhi too talked of The latter entirely desired a thorough modernization
Gandhi’s Concept of the Origin and Nature of the Ideal State and His Relevance in Contemporary World 95
of India along with the removal of abject poverty and creation as oneself. And a man who aspires after
degradation of the Indian people. His theory of social that cannot afford to keep out of any field of life.
change, that is why, was mostly grounded on the That is why my devotion to truth has drawn me into
lexicon of Indian perception of history and the field of politics; and I can say, without the slightest
simultaneously, was a true champion of so-called hesitation and yet in all humanity, that those who say
Indian nationalism. In the archives of world history, that religion has nothing to do with politics do not
the greatness of Gandhi exists not only in his heroic know what religion means.” 2 Like Buddha and
struggle for India’s freedom, but also for his total Mahavira, he accepted an integrated view of life and
insistence on the creative power of the soul. Gandhi as such he condemned the division of religion and
also campaigned to improve the lives of the politics. He was devoted worshipper of the soul and,
untouchables, whom he called Harijans (the children by that relation, of God and His humanity. The
of God). Gandhi popularly known as Father of Nation purpose of the article is to highlight Gandhi’s concept
played a stellar role in India’s freedom struggle. As a on the origin and nature of the ideal state and His
seeker of truth, he always kept his mind open and relevance in the realm of contemporary world.
remained susceptible to any political ideology or
system, whatever it might be, provided he could Social and Political Ideas of Gandhi: A Synthesis
perceive in it a greater possibility of attaining the of Religion and Politics
desired human values of equality, freedom, The relevance of Gandhi is unquestionable and it is
brotherhood and above all, peace. Understandably, so much time tested that in spite of the global
he laid overwhelming emphasis on moral compass, apprehension and debate about it, that last hope of
personal integrity, steady correspondence between human kind is Gandhi and Gandhi alone, but Gandhi
though and deed and finally a strong sense of public is so humble and docile that he warns the posterity to
accountability. It was an ideal of morality deeply refrain from his views, ideas and thoughts as
rooted in empathy and tolerance which was vastly ‘Gandhism’. Gandhi rightly said, ‘There is yet nothing
inseparable from freedom. Gandhi’s profound concern like Gandhism’ but Kripalani prefers the title ‘The
for freedom, truth and morality with the passage of Gandhian Way’. Gandhi all through, went on his
time made him an unyielding opponent of experiments in the practice of Truth and Non-violence.
totalitarianism in its entirety, including Communism Gandhi was neither an academic philosopher nor a
and Fascism. Implicitly, he believed in a system that system builder. He was essentially freedom fighter, a
minimized governmental and maximized community social reformer and a practical man. Not like a social
initiative. If this accounted for his political association scientist, but like a scientist, Gandhi was highly
with the sarvodaya movements, his quest for an experiment oriented. So his aim was to bring every
Indian from of democracy that would ensure freedom problem, social, political and economic or otherwise,
without atomizing and alienating the individual drew face to face with truth as it may present itself at a
him to the ideal of a living “communitarian society” given moment. Gandhi’s autobiography is called The
along the modern village panchayat pattern Story of My Experiment with Truth. His close
functioning within the basic framework of democracy. associate, Dhirendra Majumdar said that philosophy
In the light of this context, his socio-political approach is nothing but only a way of life. So is the case with
to every problem was solely humane, transcending Dada Dharmadhikari, one of the greatest interpreters
the rigid barriers of caste, religion and the country in of Gandhian ideology, when he said that there is
its entirety. In 1969, J.P. wrote: “Gandhi’s non-violence nothing like ‘ism’with Gandhi. As a freedom fighter,
was not just a plea for law and order, or a cover for as a philosopher, the Mahatma is relevant not for
the status quo, but a revolutionary philosophy. It is today only but for tomorrow as well. At a global level,
indeed a philosophy of Total Revolution, because it when violence is being condemned, Gandhi is the only
embraces personal and social ethics and values of hope of survival for the whole of the humanity at
life as much as economic, political and social large. In the preceding paras, a detailed study of
institutions and process.”1 Gandhi himself admitted: Gandhi’s idea on ideal state and relevance of Gandhian
“to see the universal and all pervading spirit of Truth thought from different angles shall be presented as
face to face, one must be able to love the meanest follows:
Gandhi’s Concept of the Origin and Nature of the Ideal State and His Relevance in Contemporary World 97
purified the politics. Thus Gandhian Politics has a (Tisri Shakti) and Women Power (Stri Shakti) and
dominant and constructive role to play. His concept J.P’s emphatic pursuit of People’s Power (Lok
of politics was for higher values, he said, “I seek to Shakti) and Youth Power (Yuva Shakti) have to be
deliver the so called weaker races of the earth from studied very carefully. For instance, in 1974,
the crushing wheels of western exploitation.”8 And it Revolution, Youth Force (Yuva Shakti) was renamed
happened so and in due course most of the weaker as Chatra Yuva Samgarsh Vahini (Student-cum
nations emerged as free nations after India achieved Youth Action Force). This organization became the
independence. We fought for others Independence vanguard of Total Revolution during 1974-77.
also and the latest in the series is the war of
Bangladesh’s freedom in 1971. Now, the politics of Gandhi’s economic philosophy was inspired
exploitation has been uprooted and the politics of by John Ruskin (1819-1900) and he was immensely
service is visualized through democratic ideals. Party inspired, almost ‘captured’ by his book Unto This
politics is being replaced by people’s power. Service Last. Gandhi was against industrialism and Big
to the people and their amelioration is gradually Machines and not against machines as such. He was
becoming relevant all over the world and hence firm believer in Rural Economy and ownership of the
relevance of Gandhian Politics cannot be minimized. land by its tillers. For him, khadi was the symbol of
Besides, Gandhian concept of Self Rule (Swaraj) Swadeshi. Ironically, concept of Trusteeship was
was real democracy where people’s power rested in derived from the conception of Aparigrah (non-
the individuals and each one realized that he or she possession) of the Gita. With the passage of time,
was the real muster of one’s self. There was Gandhi went on adding on economic and sociological
contradiction in the statement of Gandhi about content to the rather moralistic conception of
parliamentary democracy but while dividing deep into trusteeship. He stated that in case, the rich would not
the democratic ideals, he has said: “Democracy, become willing trustees; satyagrah was to be
disciplined and enlightened is the finest things in the resorted to, against, the holder of wealth. In 1938, he
world.”9 At the same time, he also cautioned people said: “A trustee has no heir but the public.”11
against a whole-scale copying of the Western Model
of democracy, where, according to him, there were According to Gandhi, the aim of education
only nominal democracies. However, he had highest should be to build the whole man and develop his
regards for Democracy and he called it as ‘a great integral personality. Aim of education should be to
institution’ and again conscious people and said: “It is develop to the full potentialities of energy of the
liable to be greatly abused.” 10 Gandhi never children. Mahatma Gandhi wrote: “Nationalism is not
sanctioned the doctrine of caste war, class struggle the highest concept; the highest concept is world
and fight between races. For Gandhi, removal of community. I would not like to live in this world, if is
untouchability was not a matter of political arithmetic not to be one.”12 Gandhi’s idea of nationalism, fierce
but it was to be the genuine transformation of the though it is, is not exclusive, not designed to harm
heart. Gandhi was a protagonist of the common good any nation or individual. His nationalism was the
of all the inhabitants of India because as a religious essential precondition of sound internationalism.
man, he believed in Hindu-Muslim unity on moral Gandhi had categorically pleaded for a world
grounds. Gandhi all through his life experienced and government because it would have heralded an era
stood for the communal harmony. Gandhism is an of peace. He was a perpetual moral rebel who called
inarticulate and mostly unwritten philosophy but for organized movement against imperialistic,
nevertheless, it presents a definite pattern of beliefs virulence, social exploitation, economic oppression and
and the world, capable of generating very active force slavery to immoral propensities.
towards ‘social change’ or ‘social revolution.’ Broadly
speaking, for developing Gandhian thought Acharya Gandhi’s Concept of the Origin and Nature of
Vinoba and to great extent, Jayaprakash Narayan the Non-violent Ideal State
(JP) and Dada Dharmadhakari adhered hard to bring According to Gandhi, non-violence is not merely a
about social changes purely on Gandhian pattern and personal virtue. It is also a social virtue to be cultivated
principles. Hence, Vinoba put emphasis on Third Force like other virtues. To him non-violence was the basic
Gandhi’s Concept of the Origin and Nature of the Ideal State and His Relevance in Contemporary World 99
could be adopted as a universal principle of human that it represented violence or coercion. The modern
behavior, political power as well as state would state according to Gandhi, was about to destroy
become redundant. He felt that the state is not an individuality-that individual freedom and spontaneous
end but one of the means of enabling people to better urge to work. The individualism is the root cause of
their condition of life through representatives. The progress and Gandhi believed that nothing could be
concept of stateless democracy is also an important done by applying coercion.
part of Gandhi’s concept of the state. In stateless
democracy everyone acts as his own ruler. This The two great utilitarian philosophers –
stateless democracy is known as ‘Ram Rajya’. Three Bentham (1748-1832) and J.S. Mill (1806-1872) –
important pillars of Ram Rajya are: Democracy, wanted to put curb upon the activities of the state to
Equality and Exploitation-free society. Gandhi was enhance the quantum of freedom of the individual.
of the view that happiness of the people can only be Henceforth, the state, prescribed by Bentham and
ensured through decentralization of power. He Mill, is called limited state. Both Bentham and J.S.
believed in cottage and labour intensive production. Mill did not approve coercion for demanding allegiance
The Gandhian theory of state has been criticized on from the individual’s. But Gandhi appears to us as
the following grounds: more aggressive. Under any circumstances the
individual’s freedom cannot be sacrificed. Gandhi’s
Firstly, the Gandhian thought is vague and love for individual freedom ranks him with the great
contradictory. anarchist philosophers. The central idea is that to
Secondly, the principle of ahimsa or non-violence is Gandhi state is an undesirable political organization
abstract and impractical proposition. because of its close connection with violence.18
Thirdly, the economic theory of Gandhi is also Though Gandhi does not deal with society and its
criticized on the ground that it may place a country to relationship with state it is not difficult to frame certain
the position of a backward economy. conclusions about his attitude to society keeping his
general outlook and philosophy in mind. His
Gandhi on Stateless Society and Political Power extravagant love for liberty, rights of the individual
In Gandhi’s assessment, the state (Western Type) and democracy and most importantly strong opposition
was the symbol of violence in concentrated form. to violence and coercion make it abundantly clear
Hence, in order to ensure allegiance from the citizens that he stressed more importance on society and lees
the state (which means its authority) applies coercion importance to state. In his judgment society is the
or violence measures mercilessly. In fact, he gathered best place for the free play of individual’s opinion; in
experience in South Africa that more and more power society people enjoy freedom of speech and
to the state meant more and more violence or greater expression and mainly in society individuals get ample
amount of coercion. In the name of the maintenance opportunities to mould and remould their views. This
of law and order in South Africa’s white government is due to the fact that the area of state is vast and
acquired enormous power and this led to the ruthless always it is not suitable for individual’s tree and
administration, exploitation and curtailment of spontaneous activities. In Hegelian philosophy the
individuals’ liberty. He once said that a political society had no special importance but Gandhi did not
organization based on violence would never receive share this view. In his political philosophy absolute
his approval. Rather, he is always afraid of such an sovereignty had no place-naturally society was more
organization. What he felt about the Western state important. He believed that through the society people
system is quite explicit in a comment which he made, can develop their individuality properly. In his account
“I look upon an increase in the power of the state state is to some extent foreign to the individuals. Not
with greatest fear, because although while apparently only Gandhi many others have been found to think in
doing good by minimizing exploitation , it does the the same time.
greatest harm to mankind by destroying individuality
which is at the root of progress.”17 From the above Gandhi felt by Ram Rajya is meant
analysis it is absolutely clear that Gandhi by and large sovereignty of people on pure moral authority. In Ram
rejected the state of Western model on the ground Rajya there shall exist a maximum amount of
Gandhi’s Concept of the Origin and Nature of the Ideal State and His Relevance in Contemporary World 101
Conclusion: Relevance of Gandhi circumstances. Gandhi even at the fag end of his life
At a time when thinkers in the realm of philosophies spoke to himself that he had never stopped to grow
and social sciences are trying to take stock of the and therefore, he had been learning from “Experiment
Eastern Heritage and Western thought, Gandhi stands with Truth”, as he named his Autobiography. If
as a symbol of the conjunction of the East and the anyone was asked to give the essence of the political
West. Gandhi’s political philosophy was a fusion of philosophy of Gandhi in one word, he should call it
individualism, idealism and socialism. And the key Non-violence. Gandhi so much emphasized this
words of his economic and political programme were principle that this almost sums up his approach in
self-sufficiency, non-competition, equitable distribution social, political and economic fields. Replying to his
and decentralized production. He incarnated India’s critics who called his philosophy utopian and visionary
traditional ideal of saint, but on the other hand, he he said, “I am not a visionary; I claim to be a practical
belonged to the most modern type of mass-leader. idealist…The fact that there are so many men still
The service of Gandhi in awakening the soul of Asia alive in the world shows that it is based not on the
and Africa is of immense importance. Romain Rolland force of arms but on the force of the truth and love.
had recognized the moral significance of the work of Therefore, the greatest evidence of success of this
the Mahatma. Both Einstein and Tagore testified to force is to be found in the fact that in spite of wars of
the spiritual eminence of Gandhi. At a time when the world, it lives on.”23
cultural norms are collapsing and structure of
civilization is imperiled, the deathless spirit of Gandhi Notes and References
stands as a mighty Himalaya an immense source of 1
For a detailed understanding of J.P’s admiration on Gandhi
regarding his various socio-political philosophies and its
strength to those devoted to the emancipation of practicality in the light of the contemporary socio-political
mankind.22 perspective see, Jayaprakash Narayan, Sarvodaya to Socialism:
A
Now in the 21st century, Gandhi is a world Revolutionary’s Quest,ed by Bimal Prasad, Oxford University
Press, New Delhi, 1980, pp. 171-190.
phenomenon. He is being recognized as a great leader 2
M.K.Gandhi, Sarvodaya, Bharatan Kumarappa (ed), Navajivan
of action, a Liberator and a Prophet Martyr all over Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1958, pp.61-63.
the universe. What is needed at the hour is to
3
N.Dhar, Aurobindo, Gandhi and Roy, Calcutta Book House,
Calcutta, 1986, p.27.
implement his deeds, actions and thoughts into practice 4
J.D.Sethi,Gandhi Today, Vikas, New Delhi, 1978,p.12.
and thus, his relevance in different fields is 5
Ibid.,pp.14-16.
unquestionable and unchallengeable. The 6
M.K.Gandhi, Sarvodaya, Bharatan Kumarappa (ed), Navajivan
Publishing House, Ahmadabad, 1958, p.61.
quintessence of divine wisdom, “Vasudhaiv 7
Ibid., pp.70-71.
Kutumbkum” or (“Mankind is one family”), 8
Ibid., pp.73-74.
proclaimed by India millennium ago, was the ultimate 9
Hiren Mukherjee, Gandhiji: A Study, National Book Agency,
aim of Mahatma and his thought. Hence, his greatest Calcutta, 1958, p.76.
10
Ibid., pp.80-81.
follower, adviser and interpreter, Acharya Vinoba 11
Ibid.,pp.102-104.
Bhave had a great slogan ‘Jai Jagat’ or ‘Hail one 12
Ibid.,pp.106-107.
World’. Gandhi was an activist; he worked for the
13
For a detailed understanding of the nature and characteristics
of Gandhian Non-violent state, see, M.K.Gandhi, Bunch of Old
upliftment of society. However, in the field of politics Letters,5 October, 1945. pp.12-16.
he understood the issues with special consideration 14
Ibid.,pp. 17-18.
based on Indian nature of socio-economic and politics. 15
Ibid., pp.21-27.
16
Ibid.,pp.29.
Thus, he defined politics as the best means to regulate 17
For details see,www.gandhifoundation.net/ as accessed on
the national life and also he concluded that its power 19th March, ’17 at 6:5 p.m.
should decentralize in equitable manner. Gandhi never 18
H.M.Vinacke, Gandhi: A Political Reader, Laxmi Narain
claimed as an original thinker, his political philosophy Agarwal, Delhi, Agra, etc. 1961, pp.45-61.
19
Ibid.,pp.70-72.
got the roots from different philosophical systems of 20
Ibid.,pp.74-76.
both Eastern and Western ideologies. Gandhi had 21
Ibid.,pp.89-90.
revised his opinions from time to time though his
22
B.K.Malik, Gandhi: A Prophecy, Hind Kitabs Ltd.,
Bombay,1948, p.90.
conceptual framework remained the same. His speech 23
M.K.Gandhi,My Ideal is Equal Distribution, Young India,
and writings are the response from particular March 17, 1927.
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891-1956), Hindu society on the basis of the caste, creed, religion
the great Constitution maker of India and was one of etc, it cannot be designated as nation.The Hindu state
the leading nation-builders of modern India. He merely shares similar habits, customs, beliefs and
championed the cause of strong nationalism. He thoughts which alone cannot build a nation. For
fought for human rights of liberty, equality and justice example celebration of festivals by Hindus are alike
in a serious and a moral way. The mind of Ambedkar anywhere but this cannot determined that the Indian
is more practical than theoretical. He does not live society is united. It is so because it has failed to bind
merely in the world of ideas but lives too perpetually the people into a national integration as a whole
in the world of actions. For words such as society, (Ambedkar 1936).
nation and country he says are “just amorphous if
not ambiguous terms. There is no gain saying that A society which is divided on the basis of
nation through one word means many classes”. He caste and religion will never constitute a nation. A
likes to use the word nation in that sense which points nation is a feeling of oneness but in the Indian society
out to the area of society rather than that of state. To there are habits of oppression and exploitation towards
him, “Philosophically, it may be possible to consider a another caste. It is inaccurate to term a country like
nation as a unit but sociologically, it cannot be regarded India as nation where there is deprivation of civil and
as consisting of many classes and the freedom of the equal rights for some sections of the Indian society.In
nation, if it is to be a reality, must vouchsafe the a nation success of one means success of all and
freedom of the different classes comprised in it, failure of one means failure of all. The caste system
particularly of those who are treated as the servile prevents these common bondages to prevail in the
classes” (Ambedkar 2012). Hindu society(Ambedkar 1936).
Thus he argues: “We must have government Jawaharlal Nehru gave the national
in which men in power will give their undivided movement a social and economic dimension Dr
allegiance to the best interest of the country. We must Ambedkar gave it the social democratic goal. He was
have a government in which men in power, knowing never opposed of political freedom for India but he
where obedience will end resistance will begin will thought that the anti colonial Indian nationalism is
not be afraid to amend the social and economic code insufficient in including many other social dimensions
of life which the dictates of justice and expediency in the country.That is why he thought of social
so urgently call for. This role, the British government freedom along with political freedom of the country.
will never be able to play. It is only a government To him the political freedom from British colonialism
which is of the people for the people and by the people would remain incomplete unless it is followed by
that will make this possible” (quoted in Jatava1998). complete eradication of sufferings and deprivation of
He even clarified his position. At present “I am the the depressed classes. He argued one must distinguish
most hated man in Hindu India. I am represented as between freedom of a country and the freedom of
a traitor. I am denouncedas an enemy of the Hindus; the people in the country. Thus his main stress was
I am cursed as a destroyer of Hinduism and branded on the freedom of the people in the country (Guru
as the greatest enemy of the country. But believe me 1998).
when I say that, when after some days the dust
The issue of minority is a universal India have expressed their feeling of alienation. Even
phenomenon. There is no country in the world without the track record of the Indian state’s responsibility to
having presence of some kind of minority. Yet, the protect the lives of the minorities is not satisfactory.
nature of minority, the relationship between minority On the other hand, the rise of Hindutav politics and
and majority in the majoritarian democracy and the their growing mobilisation around temple issues
problems of minorities are different from time to time, underlines the deep-seated disquiet over religious
region to region and from country to country. As the minority for state’s continuous policy of appeasement.
problems of minorities are of universal in nature The Hindu majoritarianism is currently functioning
hence several international instruments such as the with enough impunity where Muslims are facing an
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the equal measure of threats and violence along with
International Covenants on Civil and Political dalits. Recently several incidences of harassment,
Rights(1966), and the Declaration on the Rights of beating, torture, and lynching of dalits and Muslims
Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious on suspicion of cow-smuggling or beef-eating has
and Linguistic Minorities(1992), articulate the been reported. The emergence of gau-rakshaks (cow
minority rights in universal terms with the underlying protectionists) and their inhuman acts are squarely
belief that these instruments provide the broad against the will of Ambedkar and his magnificent
guidelines for nation-states to frame policies towards Constitution which gives us a secular country with
their minorities (MohapatraB.N.2010). From the fundamental rights to life and liberty assured to every
very beginning India is a strong supporter of citizens. Thus, in the contemporary minority discourse,
International Conventions on Minority rights having this article is an attempt to relook into Ambedkar’s
been a multicultural and multi-religious diversified understanding of safeguards of minorities rights in
nation. It houses all the major religions of the world the Constitution of India which is still continues to
with eighty percent of its population are Hindus and invoke.
while the remaining twenty percents are minorities.
However, the term ‘minority’ is not easy term to Though the Constitution does not define the
define. Who are the minorities and how are they term ‘minority’ yet it mentions of religious and
belongs to minority community is very difficult to linguistic minorities in India. However, the problem
ascertain in a multicultural society like India. of minorities in India figured prominently in the
Generally speaking ‘minority’ is a community Constituent Assembly, Dr.Ambedkar as the chief
numerically weak to the rest of population with architect of the Constitution included several
identical language, culture, and religious faith. provisions and guaranteed several protections to
Moreover, the minority status also varies from place minorities in different ways while drafting the
to place and time to time. Take for example, Muslims Constitution. And it was agreed to form three separate
are religious minority in all-India level but in a state Commissions for religious, linguistic and backward
like Jammu and Kashmir, Muslims are majority classes for the integration of Indian community. The
community. In many ways the state plays pivotal role Constitution of India has given recognition to a number
in identifying and giving minority status to a particular of languages in the Eight Scheduled and there are
community on the basis of religion, language and five religious groups which have given the official
socio-economic well-being. status of minorities, namely, Muslims, Christians,
Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsees. Ambedkar has
However, after sixty seven years of the expressed his views in this regard that since the
Constitutional Republic in work yet, the minorities in depressed classes struggled hard for social equality
Cultural and Educational Rights of Minorities Dr.Ambedkar had argued that in our country
Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution of India provides both the minorities and majorities have followed a
protection exclusively to cultural and educational wrong path. It is wrong for the majority to deny the
rights of the minorities of the country. Article 29(1) existence of minorities. It is equally wrong for the
of the Constitution says: “Any section of the citizens minorities to perpetuate themselves. A solution must
residing in the territory of India or any part thereof be found which will serve a double purpose. It must
having a distinct language, script or culture of its own recognise the existence of the minorities to start with.
shall have the right to conserve the same”. Similarly, It also enable the majorities and minorities to emerge
Article 30 gives the minorities based on religion or someday into one, the solution as proposed by the
language, the right to establish and administer Constituent Assembly is to be welcomed because
educational institutions of their choice’.hese specific this solution serves two-fold purposes. One is that
rights of the minorities enshrined in the Constitution minorities are an explosive force which, if it erupts,
are undoubtedly based on a solemn pledge of the can blow up the whole fabric of the state. The other
nation to the minority communities and these rights is that the minorities in India have agreed to place
have been in the same spirit consistently interpreted their existence in the hands of the majority. They
in a sympathetic manner by the Courts. Besides the have loyally accepted the rule of the majority, which
above mentioned articles, the Constitution of India are basically a communal majority and not a political
also contains special provisions for the education of majority. It is for the majority to realise its duty not
the linguistic minorities as well. to discriminate against minorities. Whether the
minorities will continue or vanish must depend upon
Rights of Linguistic Minorities this habit of the majority. The moment the majority
The Constitution of India has provided certain specific loses the habit of discriminating against the minority,
provisions to safeguard the rights and interests of the minorities can have no ground to exist. They will
Linguistic Minorities. Article 347 of the Constitution vanish (Ambedkar,B.R.1998).
provides a guarantee to the use of minority languages
in the administration. It authorises the President to Nevertheless, state has to empower and
issue directive to a State Government for the encourage all the stake holders to be a part of
recognition of a minority language as official language mainstream political process; and so far as minorities
in that State. It may be noted that in this connection are concerned it must ensure physical security and
that the reference here in the Article is ‘to any non-discrimination atmosphere. And the state must
language spoken by them’ and not merely to the prioritised to remove educational backwardness and
languages enlisted in the Eighth Schedule to the augment the economic status of the minority groups
Constitution. So the scope of this provision is wide of the country. Undoubtedly, the foundation of
enough as the number of languages spoken and inclusive democracy and its solid edifice was built
written in India runs into some hundreds. Further the by Dr.Ambedkar, an intellectual stalwart, thinker, a
words ‘used in the Union or in the State’ in Article philosopher, erudite scholar and maker of modern
350 would suggest that the language of the petition India. His idea of constitutional democracy with
need not be limited to the official language of the universal adult franchise is not merely a
Union or the States, as the case may be, but could representative democracy, but beyond that, much
also be in other languages even those spoken by more an inclusive and participatory democracy meant
minorities. Further, Article 350 A of the Constitution to protect the distinct cultural or linguistic or religious
provides that every States should endeavour to provide identity of the minority communities. In the end, it is
adequate facilities for children belonging to linguistic the imperative on the part of the government to create
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definitely give rise to new knowledge leading to truth.
When the truth is manifest upon man the conflict is
Different views representing conflict are different
resolved. Gandhi contented that different views
reflections of truth. So truth needs to be emphasized.
.
representing conflict also are different reflections of
truth. He did not believe in a perusal accommodation Redirect the focus of conflict from person to
and compromise but withstood in for a win-win principles which means grasping into truth.
situation for both parties. He believed in undertaking
painful means to achieve the desired goals. This is
exactly the goal of the Gandhian approach of
Satyagraha.
.
Suggestions:
As already said these two principles are inherent
in Indian society. Creation of an atmosphere akin to
concept of Satyagraha and Non-violence are
Conclusion required. — reallocate the values of Satyagraha and
Gandhi and his concept of peace is a way to conflict
resolution has to be taken together with the concept .
Non-violence.
Socio-cultural patterns of Indian society amply
imbibe the strength in which Non-violence and
of Satyagraha and non-violence. His way to conflict
resolution is strong adherence to the principle of truth. Satyagraha are the searching torches of Gandhi’s ideal
Truth and peace for Gandhi become complementary
to each other giving rise to the notion of his concept .
Ram Raj.
Ram Raj and Hindu society are complementary to
of Rama Rajya where justice reigns supreme.
Actually the Gandhain concept of Satyagraha is to .
each other.
More attention needs to the concept of non-violence
remain firm on truth. Non-violence is another thing
that needs attention. The importance of non-violence .
as against violence.
Development of moral strength through education
is becoming more and more relevant due to myriad
types of violence today. Violence has to be understood
in the pretext to get a panacea of evils of violence
.
is necessary.
Satyagraha and non-violence need attention in
society so that human behavior can be influenced.
around us. Indian socio-cultural tradition may help us
to understand the prospectus of Satyagraha and Non- Biblography
1.Weber Thomas, Conflict Resolution and Gandhian Ethics, The Gandhi
violence. The belief system- in tradition, traits and Peace Foundation, New Delhi, 1991.
values, is important to infuse the concepts of two 2.Juergensmeyer Mark, Gandhi’s Way: A handbook of Conflict Resolution,
.
Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2003
tools of Gandhi’s fight to reach to truth. 3.Diwakar R.R., Satyagraha-Its Techniques and Theory, Bombay: Hind
Thus Satyagraha and non-violence and the concept Kitabs, 1946.
.
of truth need attention. 4.Iyer Raghavan N., The Moral and Political thought of Matahama Gandhi,
Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2000.
Religion plays an important role in the determination 5.Chakrabarty Bidyut, Social and Political Thought of Matahama Gandhi,
Routledge, New York, 2006.
of human thinking and actions. India is a multi- 6.Bandyopadhyaya Jayantuja, Social and Political Thought of Gandhi,
religious country. Every religion teaches Truth Allied Publishers, Bombay, 1969.
7.Chatterjee Margaret, Gandhi’s Religious Thought, Macmillan, London,
(Satyagraha) and Non-violence. Thus it has more 1983.
prospects to flourish in India. Re-awakening religious 8.Dolton Dennis, Non-violence in Action: Gandhi’s Power, Oxford
.
knowledge can help us in this endeavor. University Press, Delhi, 1998.
9.Mukherjee Subrata and Sushila Ramaswamy (eds), Non-violence and
Re-allocate the goodness of Satyagraha and non- Satyagraha, Deep & Deep, New Delhi, 1998.
10.Nanda B.R., Matahama Gandhi, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1985.
violence. Robert Dhal says values are allocated in 11.M.K. Gandhi, ed. Non-Voilence in Peace and War. Vol. 01, Ahmadabad:
society but these two principles are already been Navajivan, 1948
12. Thomas Pantham, “Thinkers of Modern India,”
allocated, the need is to revive them.
Gandhi and His Concept of Peace- A Way to Conflict Resolution 121
Contributor’s Profile
Prof. Tridib Chakraborti Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Prof. Anuradha Mukherjee Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Dr. Ashok Kumar Panda Founder Member of P.U.C.L. & D.R., P.U.C.L., and a well known
Human Rights Leader; Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
Prof. Anil Kumar MohapatraDept. of Social Sciences, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore (Odisha)
Himansu Sekhar Pati Former Director, H.R., SAIL, New Delhi now based in Bhubaneswar
Dr.Sailaja Gullapall Research Associate, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi
Prof. Satish Kumar Head, Dept. of Political Science, CUH, Haryana
Dr. Virendar Singh Associate Professor, MMH College, Ghaziabad
Dr. Alok Kumar Gupta Associate Professor, Centre for Political Studies, Central University of
South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar
Dr. Bibudharanjan An author based in Puri, Odisha
Dr. Deepak Yadav Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Kalindi College,
University of Delhi
Dr. Dasarathi Bhuiyan Assistant Professor, P.G. Department of Political Science, Berhampur
University, Berhampur, Odisha
Dr. Saleem Ahmad Assistant Professor at Department of Political Science, School of
Humanities & Social Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida
Dr. Sudhir Wadekar Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science, BPHE Society’s
Ahmednagar College (Pune University), Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
Dr. Abha Chauhan Khimta Assistant Professor of Political Science, Department of Political
Science, H.P. University, Shimla
Bipin Kumar Assistant Professor, National Law University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Dr. Snehil Kacker Assistant Professor, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, D.U.
Dr. Pratyay Dutta Lecturer, Vidyasagar Evening College, Department of Political Science,
University of Calcutta
Shalini Prasad Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Vivekananda
College, Delhi University
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Evening College, Kolkata
Dr. Chittaranjan Mallik Assistant Professor in Political Science, Bagnan College, Howrah
Aniruddha Purushotham Advocate, Supreme Court of India
Binoda Kumar Kar Research Scholar, Berhampur University, Odisha
Dr. Muzammil Ahad Dar Department of Politics and IR, Pondicherry University
Rameez Raja Mir PhD Scholar, Center for EU Studies, Pondicherry University
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