Like many of the new Indians, I have spent considerable time criticizing Gandhi. After all it’s always been in fashion to hold Gandhi responsible for literally everything that’s going wrong with India. I was no different till one day I asked my self few questions.
1. How much do I know Gandhi?
My answer: Nothing much beyond Wikipedia.
2. Can I justify why I hate Gandhi?
My answer: I hate him because I have been constantly told that he was responsible for the unjustified partition of India.
3. What according to you was the quickest and right way to get freedom — Gandhi’s non-violence or Bhagat Singh’s non-violence?
My answer: Bhagat Singh’s non-violence
4. Suppose India and Pakistan are on a war and government asks your son to go to the border as a soldier. Would you respect the decision and happily ask your son to go?
My answer: I won’t. Then why is the defence force for? I wont allow my son to die. Government should talk and settle the dispute?
5. Then what was wrong with Gandhian philosophy of seeking independence? No bloodshed, no deaths!
My answer: …… complete silence that was full of regret and self-pity of being a hypocrite because at one point I criticize Bapu for his unacceptable non violent approach and at another point given a chance to choose between violence and non-violence, I opt for the second because I don’t want my son to be killed in counter attacks. Indirectly, I support Gandhi’s philosophy but won’t give it a clean chit because I have been fed with anti-Gandhi sentiments.
Even if we leave everything aside and are convinced about the fact that making mistakes is human then couldn’t Gandhi make a mistake? He was no God. It’s we who made him. Muslims and Hindus at the time of partition had equal right to choose where they want to live — Indian or Pakistan and what wrong did Bapu do if he allowed them to exercise their right. Suppose you as a Hindu resided in area that is now Pakistan and one night you were asked to leave all your property (leave aside the emotional attachments), kaisa lagta? Had it happened, we would have hated Gandhi more than we are doing now because we would been forced to leave Pak, come to India and not given a choice to select where we want to live. What say?
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