Thursday, July 5, 2012

India After The Mahatma (Gandhi Journal Article - II )


India After The Mahatma
Director, PGSR, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai

Introduction
Mahatma Gandhi was a visionary who made an epoch making contribution for socio, political, economic and cultural transformation of not only India but also the world. His public life began with peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian community's struggle against racism and for civil rights of non-white population in South Africa. After his return from South Africa to India, he organized all sections of society, from budding industrialists, educated intelligential, women and children to poor farmers and labourers to protest against oppressive British regime and widespread discrimination. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for the alleviation of poverty, for fight against merciless taxation of poor peasants, for the liberation of women, for communal harmony and democratic rights of ethnic groups, for an end to barbaric practice of untouchability and caste discrimination, and for the economic self-sufficiency of the nation, but above all, for Swaraj (home Rule) the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led the civil disobedience movement against the salt tax imposed by the British Administration with the 400 kilometer (250 miles) Dandi Salt March in 1930. He masterminded the Quit India Movement in 1942.
I congratulate Shri M.D. Shah Mahila College of Arts & Commerce, Malad for organizing  a National Seminar on this important theme during the centenary year of Gandhiji’s famous series of articles in Harijan written during 1908 compiled as “Hind Swaraj” in which he gave his vision of future of India and demanded “human face” for economic development, growth, science and technology. READ FULL ARTICLE…

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