Editor,
As we are about to celebrate the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the most important question which arises at this moment is that will India witness such a global leader and a worshiper of truth in its land again, or can the young generation walk on his footprints when many of them are lost in cacophony of modernity. The world, which is fractured by wars, now needs an idealist like Gandhi, whose philosophy about society, equality, nation and human beings have served the real purpose of life and formed the basis of global inspiration in the matters of peace and humanity. There are leaders galore who have garnered fame and support, yet hardly anyone has lived a selfless life like Gandhi and left the moral framework where brotherhood and harmony can be founded. He was a true follower of “Satya “, who believed that nothing was above truth. He studied abroad, yet western education never drifted him away from his customs and traditions. After living for a few years in South Africa, he came back to India and began his quest for truth along with a resolution to free the country from British rule. To him “Dharma” was something which unites people, and this is why one would find Gandhian philosophy always revolving around the notion of solidarity and humanity. He believed “Dharma “should be guided by service to mankind, patriotism and kindness, rather than only by religious dogma. Gandhi taught the world that “non- violence” is not a sign of inner-weakness or capitulation, but is a strong force for resisting injustice. Gandhi’s ” Satyagraha” was not just an act of holding fast , but was a way to oppose the oppressor. He believed that even the mightiest can be defeated by the use of moral force. He could have easily grabbed the chair of Prime Minister after India’s independence, but he chose to remain out of power politics . If one wants to understand what Gandhi was, he will have to understand the simplicity within him which makes Gandhi the ” Mahatma “.
But has Gandhian values and tenets ceased to exist in this contemporary world . And ” Gandhi zindabad ” remains only as a political slogan to escape from moral scrutiny. This is what we need to check today, when the meaning of leadership is constantly changing under the impact of personal ambition, technological advancements ,and growing symbolism. Today it has become difficult to differentiate between a demagogue and a true leader, as anyone with two thousand followers in social media can amplify a cause as powerfully as a party chief. Now the growing support for immediacy in everything has led to immorality , and violence has become a tool for seeking demands. Gandhi now appears more in the play cards than in our hearts. But we should remember and let the young generation know that Gandhi’s philosophy of Ahimsa and satyagraha formed the founding bricks in eliminating racial segregation in countries like South Africa and America. His ideals were adopted by the UN for addressing global peace . When this “Saint of Sabarmati ” spoke to the world he not only drew attention, but also changed the global view on resolving conflicts through non -violence. Today we need to recall Gandhi not just as a vanguard of India’s “freedom movement” , but as a mentor who taught us how to live a simple life with dignity. It is our moral duty to preserve Gandhi’s values for making the world a better place to live in.
Kabir Ahmed Saikia
Rajabari, Jorhat
Assam
