Mahatma Gandhi: Over-Represented and Over-Simplified

The one common thing that the Parliament, Prime Minister's Office, Court-room, Police Station, Library, or a School will have is the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. This over-representation of Gandhi in public life has diminished the very influence of Gandhi and his thoughts. His quotes have been used so much so in daily life that it has over-simplified their very essence and meaning. So much is he quoted everywhere in simplistic terms without understanding the perspective, relevance and context of his thoughts. 

Mahatma Gandhi's entire philosophy that was built with an enormous experience and efforts of 50 years has been reduced to 2 words- Truth and Non Violence. They have become redundant as political weapons for young generation especially. We tend to think they are outdated and carry no relevance in today's complex political dynamics. Violence excites people as it is glorified as a symbol of bravery. Non violence is made to look as methods of cowards! But nothing can be farther from truth.

Do we even understand what Non violence meant for Gandhi? Non violence does not mean inaction or suffering injustice. For Gandhi, suffering injustice is the greatest sin on this earth. Non violence means refusing to bend down to injustice without resorting to violence on the opponent. And this non violence is the most powerful weapon because a non violent person cannot be defeated! If you take arms against anyone, there is possibility of you being captured or defeated by a larger force. But when you are non violent, there is only the power of your will that you have and it can neither be captured or defeated. Take example of farmers protest at Delhi borders. Till they are non violently sitting in protest, what force on earth can defeat their determination? The moment some of them got violent on 26th January, they were crushed by the mighty power of state. Non-violence also gathers the sympathy of the world and has the public opinion in your favour. This was how the mighty British Empire was forced to bend down in front of poor masses of India who had nothing to fight against the British except their unbeatable will power and determination to get rid of colonialism.  

Post independence, every political party has smartly used Gandhi as a tool of legitimizing their actions which are in complete contradiction of Gandhi's thoughts and ideals. We are made to remember Gandhi who preached cleanliness. But they don't remind you of Gandhi who also preached communal harmony. We have made statue of Gandhi right in front of main gate of parliament. But who knows that Gandhi was an ardent critique of parliamentary politics and advocated decentralized polity of Gram Swaraj. Thus Gandhi is misused in public life by various actors according to their own interests. The quoting of Gandhi in bits and pieces has made his thoughts look too simplistic. While his each of his original ideas and thoughts carry deep meaning and relevance. 

Most of the people do not read Gandhi's works thinking that we know about his thoughts. But as we have seen, he is not what he is showed. If such simplistic were his ideas, why would he be revered and looked upon as role model by greatest minds on this earth? Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, Barack Obama, Steve Jobs were legends in themselves. What will be the power of Gandhi's thoughts that must have influenced them? The essence and power of Gandhi cannot be understood superficially by the quotes that are used every now and then by anyone without understanding its depth and essence. 

You don't need to agree with all what Mahatma Gandhi said and believed. Many people like Subhash Chandra Bose did not agree. But he recognized his greatness said once that, "I want to liberate India from British with my own ways and want to handover India to Gandhi as he is the best person for India." The problem is not that Gandhi is criticized; rather he is criticized even without being read or understanding his thoughts. It is easy for anyone to criticize Gandhi and say awful things about him. It is not hidden from anyone how violent people turns when a single word of criticism is said against various personalities in India. It is the greatness and power of Gandhi's ideas and thoughts that no matter how much they are attacked, they remain alive and timeless across the world!