Surrendered Naxals pass test on Gandhian principles

Surrendered Naxals pass test on Gandhian principles

The whole exercise is to help them drift away from path of violence

A total of 55 surrendered Naxals who had dozens of murder and arson cases registered against them have fared very well in an exam on Gandhi’s life and principles conducted by Gadchiroli police.
In an effort to reform prisoners, the Maharashtra jail authorities conduct classes on Gandhian philosophy with the help of NGOs in most prisons. After these classes, it holds the Gandhi Peace Exams to gauge the prisoners’ understanding of the philosophy. The exercise would help them in drifting away from violence.

Speaking on the endeavour, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Special Operations, Bipin Bihari said the surrendered Naxals were given lectures on Gandhian philosophy and an exam on the same was conducted in the month of August.

“Naxalites are waging a war against the state and we are trying to stimulate an ideology which shuns violence and preaches non-violence,” Bihari told The Indian Express.

“In order to draw the cadre to the Naxal fold, they are made to believe that armed revolution is the most effective solution. However, by introducing the Gandhian philosophy we are trying to instill the idea that demands could be met through non-violent means or ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence) which Gandhi preached and practised,” Bihari added.

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Gandhi Journal Article-III (January 2016) A man who lives without money

Gandhi Journal Article-III (January 2016)

A man who lives without money

Think you couldn’t live without money? Irishman Mark Boyle challenged this notion and here’s how he finds life with no financial income, bank balance, and no spending.

“If someone told me seven years ago, in my final year of a business and economics degree, that I’d now be living without money, I’d have probably choked on my microwaved ready meal.”According to Boyle, the plan back then was to ‘get a good job’, make as much money as possible, and buy the stuff that would show society he was successful.
 

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Gandhi Journal Article-I (January 2016) : Taking up Sarvodaya as our duty

Gandhi Journal Article-I (January 2016) : Taking up Sarvodaya as our duty

By Balamurali Balaji  

Gandhiji's concept of Sarvodaya is the superset of Antyodaya, what one has to expect from Sarvodaya. While Antyodaya sets the scene for the downtrodden, Sarvodaya creates wealth for the common good of the all. A society, community, a neighbourhood or the whole state can benefit from the principles of Sarvodaya.

Sarvodaya is not an illusion or hallucination, for it contains Antyodaya, an aspect that needs to be realized by every individual, rich or poor.

It is a social philosophy that characterizes a synthesis between the needs, urges and aspirations of the individual and of the society of which the individual is an inseparable and indivisible part.  He called it sarvodaya - the rise and well-being of all.¹ Sarvodaya is a learning process for those who do not know about it. It is an approach for those who seeks to solve the problems; a solution for a self-contained person. It is wisdom for those who searches for knowledge; a tool for those who put their beliefs in its methods and principles.

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Gandhi Journal Article-III (July 2015) : Ecology and Lifestyle: A Gandhian Perspective

Gandhi Journal Article-III (July 2015) : Ecology and Lifestyle: A Gandhian Perspective

By M. P. Mathai
 

The ecological crisis we confront today has been analysed from various angles and scientific data on the state of our environment made available. Humanity has come out of its foolish self-complacency and has awakened to the realisation that over-exploitation of nature has led to a very severe degradation and devastation of our environment. Scholars, through several studies, have brought out the direct connection between consumption and environmental degradation.

The climate change experienced today has convinced many that unless we take urgent remedial measures life might be wiped out of the face of the Earth. There have been several international summits and important conventions have been signed. But to our great dismay, most of the provisions of these covenants have been blatantly violated, rather than scrupulously honoured and implemented. Awareness of the issues involved has become almost universal, but the determination to take corrective steps is sorely missing.

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Gandhi Journal Article-I: 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' M. K. Gandhi

'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' M. K. Gandhi

By Dr. Savita Singh

Mahatma Gandhi freed us not only from the British yoke but many of the bondages of our own making. Gandhian philosophy can be understood in-depth only in the context of certain basic spiritual premises of Indian history. Of all the revolutions the revolution against an unjust society is the most critical. If we can fight against injustice then humankind is on the right path and that our task of not only nation building but also making the world a better place becomes an easier one.

In social sphere as in politics the supreme test for Gandhi was not merely the material but also moral growth of humankind equally balanced one with the other. Gandhian approach to social reforms still remains much misunderstood and awaiting a fuller study than so far done.
 

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Gandhi Journal Article-III : The Gandhian concept of 'Swaraj' in Education

The Gandhian Concept of 'Swaraj' in Education

By CA. Reena Desai

The second half of 20th century has witnessed three major explosions of the human world, the population explosion, explosion of knowledge and explosion of our hopes and aspirations. People have realized more and more the need of knowledge to improve their standard of living. Extensive use of science and modern Information Technology has also provided a wider scope of educating the millions of people to serve their growing needs of education.

Under these circumstances, formal school and college education has proved to be inadequate to undertake the gigantic task of educating the increasing number of the world population. Mere theoretical education is not sufficient in today's competitive world. In this scenario of problems with global magnitude, the reformation of the education sector is needed to be rethought. Gandhiji visioned a very different education system. The entire world accepts the clarity of his perception and his assessment of the shape of future trends so much so that with the passage of time the relevance of his thoughts and ideas is gaining greater significance globally. When Gandhi denied the prevailing system of education, he had radical ideas to restructure it. What was so radical about his views and ideas on education? His concepts and ideas about education were dynamic and futuristic. Autonomy and Privatisation, the most controversial issues in the field of higher education today were dreamt and advocated firmly by Gandhiji years ago in the form of ‘Swaraj’ in education.

The present paper discusses the relevance of Gandian model of ‘Swaraj ’in education in the new millennium. The concept of ‘Swaraj’ is developed in this study by correlating it with three aspects viz. Autonomy, Self supporting system and Privatisation. Mahatma Gandhi wanted education reconstructed to help India move towards a different form of development which is more suited to its needs and more viable for the world as a whole. Swaraj in education as interpreted by Gandhiji was all about Higher education in private hands, Autonomy in the educational institutes with least interference of the Government and Self supporting system of education which is simple, practical and less expensive.

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