Mahatma Gandhi, who played a stellar role in India's freedom struggle remembered on his 70th death anniversary
New Delhi, January 30: The whole nation along with President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to ‘Father of the Nation’ Mohanchand Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi on his 70th death anniversary today.
Notably, the great freedom fighter and our dear Baapuji was assassinated on this day in the year 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist during a prayer meeting at the Birla House. Gandhi is admired worldwide for his philosophy of non-violence. He was not only an inspiration in India but in abroad too.
PM Modi paid homage to Gandhiji via twitter and said, “पूज्य बापू की पुण्यतिथि पर उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि. Remembering Bapu on his Punya Tithi.” “We bow to all those martyrs who have sacrificed themselves in service of our nation. We will always remember their courage as well as dedication towards the nation.”
President Ram Nath Kovind also p[aid tribute to Gandhiji and tweeted saying, “On Martyrs’ Day, we gratefully remember Mahatma Gandhi and the countless freedom fighters who sacrificed their all for our Independence #PresidentKovind.” While Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said, “Let us all pay homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his Punya Tithi today. He was a true apostle of peace and non violence. His life and message must continue to inspire every Indian.”
The leaders from different political parties, Chief Ministers of state, Cabinet Ministers are paying tributes to Bapu at Rajghat in New Delhi. An inter-religious prayer has been organized there on the occasion at Gandhi Smriti Tees January Marg, New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will attend inter-faith prayer meet in the evening.
On the other side, various programmes have been organized on this occasion in Gujarat. The all religion prayer is also organized at Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace-Kirti Mandir in Porbandar. Two minutes silence will also be observed at 11 o’clock in the morning in all the Gandhian institutions of the state to pay homage to the Father of the Nation.
In Ahmedabad, an inter-religion prayer is organized at Sabarmati Ashram. An exhibition of Mahatma Gandhi’s oil paintings will also be inaugurated on this occasion. A special film titled ‘Saints of Sabarmati’ will be screened in the evening.
Mahatma Gandhi popularly known as Father of Nation played a stellar role in India's freedom struggle. Born in a family in Kathiawar, Gujarat, his real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (M.K. Gandhi). The title Mahatma came to be associated with his name much later. Paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death, famous scientist Albert Einstein said, "Generations to come will scarce believe that such a man as this walked the earth in flesh and blood".
Mohanchand Karamchand Gandhi born on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar a small town on the western coast of India, which was then one of the many tiny states in Kathiawar is not just the Father of our Nation but also the man behind India’s independence as we all know. Gandhiji was born in a middle-class family of Vaishya caste. His father, Karamchand Gandhi, was a Dewan or Prime Minister of Porbandar.
His mother, Putlibai, was a very religious lady and left a deep impression on Gandhiji's mind. Gandhiji was a mediocre student and was excessively shy and timid. Gandhiji was married at the age of thirteen to Kasturbai. He was in high school at that time. Later on in his life, Gandhiji denounced the custom of child marriage and termed it as cruel. After matriculating from the high school, Gandhiji joined the Samaldas College in Bhavnagar. After the death of Gandhiji's father in 1885, a family suggested that if Gandhiji hoped to take his father's place in the state service he should become a barrister which he could do in England in three years. Gandhi welcomed the idea but his mother was objected to the idea of going abroad. To win his mother's approval Gandhiji took a solemn vow not to touch wine, women and meat and remained true to it throughout his stay in England.
Gandhiji sailed for England on September 4, 1888. Initially, he had difficulty in adjusting to English customs and weather but soon he overcame it. Gandhiji completed his Law degree in 1891 and returned to India. He decided to set up a legal practice in Bombay but couldn't establish himself. Gandhiji returned to Rajkot but here also he could not make much headway. At this time Gandhiji received an offer from Dada Abdulla & Co. to proceed to South Africa on their behalf to instruct their counsel in a lawsuit. Gandhiji jumped at the idea and sailed for South Africa in April 1893.
It was in South Africa that Gandhiji's transformation from Mohandas to Mahatma took place. Gandhiji landed at Durban and soon he realized the oppressive atmosphere of racial snobbishness against Indians who were settled in South Africa in large numbers. After, about a week's stay in Durban Gandhiji left for Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal, in connection with a lawsuit. When the train reached Pietermaritzburg, the capital of Natal, at about 9 p.m. a white passenger who boarded the train objected to the presence of a "coloured" man in the compartment and Gandhiji was ordered by a railway official to shift to a third class. When he refused to do so, a constable pushed him out and his luggage was taken away by the railway authorities. It was winter and bitterly cold.
This incident changed Gandhiji's life forever. He decided to fight for the rights of Indians. Gandhiji organised the Indian community in South Africa and asked them to forget all distinctions of religion and caste. He suggested the formation of an association to look after the Indian settlers and offered his free time and services.
During his stay in South Africa, Gandhiji's life underwent a change and he developed most of his political ideas. Gandhiji decided to dedicate himself completely to the service of humanity. He realized that absolute continence or brahmacharya was indispensable for the purpose as one could not live both after the flesh and the spirit. In 1906, Gandhiji took a vow of absolute continence. In the course of his struggle in South Africa, Gandhiji developed the concepts of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (holding fast to truth or firmness in a righteous cause). Gandhiji's struggle bore fruit and in 1914 in an agreement between Gandhiji and South African Government, the main Indian demands were conceded.
Gandhiji returned to India in 1915 and on the advice of his political guru Gopal Krishna Gokhale, spent the first year touring throughout the country to know the real India. After a year of wandering, Gandhiji settled down on the bank of the river Sabarmati, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, where he founded an ashram called Satyagraha Ashram. Gandhiji's first satyagraha in India was in Champaran, in Bihar.
In 1921, Gandhiji gave the call for Non-cooperation movement against the ills of British rule. Gandhiji's call roused the sleeping nation. Many Indians renounced their titles and honours, lawyers gave up their practice and students left colleges and schools.
After the outbreak of Second World War in 1939, Gandhiji again became active in the political arena. British Government wanted India's help in the war and Congress in return wanted a clear-cut promise of independence from the British government. But British government dithered in its response and on August 8, 1942 Gandhiji gave the call for Quit India Movement. Soon the British Government arrested Gandhiji and other top leaders of Congress. Disorders broke out immediately all over India and many violent demonstrations took place. While Gandhiji was in jail his wife Kasturba passed away. Gandhiji too had a severe attack of Malaria. In view of his deteriorating health, he was released from the jail in May 1944.
Second World War ended in 1945 and Britain emerged victoriously. In the general elections held in Britain in 1945, Labour Party came to power, and Mr.Atlee became the Prime Minister. He promised an early realization of self Government in India. A Cabinet Mission arrived from England to discuss with Indian leaders the future shape of a free and united India but failed to bring the Hindus and Muslims together. India attained independence but Jinnah's intransigence resulted in the partition of the country. Communal riots between Hindus and Muslims broke out in the country in the aftermath of partition.
Tales of atrocities on Hindus in Pakistan provoked Hindus in India and they targeted Muslims. Gandhiji worked ceaselessly to promote unity between Hindus and Muslims. This angered some fundamentalists and on January 30, 1948, Gandhiji was shot dead by one such fundamentalist Nathu Ram Godse while he was going for his evening prayers.The last words on the lips of Gandhiji were Hey Ram.
Gandhi couldn’t be a part of happy India for too long but his works and ideologies helped our country more than ever to walk on the road to success. He was a great believer in swaraj and equality among communities and castes. Even after 69 years of his death, people mourn for him and follow his path towards cleanliness and non-violence, like PM Modi. Modi’s famous cleanliness campaign, Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan is one of the initiatives that is inspired by Gandhi’s ideology. He might not be alive today but he will always remain the Father of our Independent Nation.