Role of Mahatma Gandhi in Women's Political Participation

Role of Mahatma Gandhi in Women's Political Participation

                                                       Dr. Shubhangi Rathi

Associate Professor & H.O.D. Poliical Science,

Smt. P.K. Kotecha Mahila Mahavidhalaya,

Bhusawal.(Maharashtra- India)

Chairman, Board of Studies of Political Science,

North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon.

"I would boycott that legislature which will not have a proper share of women members" Mahatma Gandhi

Introduction:

         Mahatma Gandhi has been played an important role to participate women in political activities in Indian. Gandhi becomes uncompromising in the matter of women’s rights. According to him woman is companion of man, gifted with equal right of freedom and liberty with him. Woman is the better half of humanity, not the weaker sex. Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi is first man to participate women in politics. The Constitution of India guarantees equal rights to men and women as voters and citizens. After all Present situation of Indian democracy women Parliamentarians are poor. It shows that Gandhi's ideas about women and their role in political life was a departure from those of the 20^th century reformers. In the 21^st century, it is clear that quotas for women in politics have not essentially ensured higher equality. For the success of democracy, women active participation is essential. Without women support India can’t become powerful nation in the world. So in this paper focus on present political participation of women and thought of Mahatma Gandhi in motivation a large number of women into the mainstream of political participation. As per the Modernization theory, both man and women are the integral parts of the social, economic and political set up of a state. Keeping this theoretical background in mind, this paper seeks to focus on the share of women in the electoral process of India.

Equal Rights in Indian Democracy:

                India became independent in the year 1947. In all the elections held since independence, women had the voting rights. Women play a dual role in politics – as voters and political representatives. On the voting front, though adult franchise was granted in 1937, it was the progressive spirit that pervaded the making of the constitution that made it a reality. The Constitution of India guarantees equal rights to men and women as voters and citizens. Generally, in India, registration and participation of women as contestants is less than that of men.

            Democracy implies equality for all human persons, men and women. As against this basic notion of democracy what is normally seen is that women are excluded from different walks of life, more visibly in Politics.

Women’s participation in Politics

         According to data maintained by Inter-Parliamentary Union, which maintains a record of women Parliamentarians, the world has only 20% women as political representatives.  10 years ago, the figure was 15.1%. (Sources: Inter Parliamentary Union, UNDP, Centre for Women and Democracy)

       Finland is statistically an ideal example among the top countries. There is 42% representation of women in the legislature, there is no reservation and the Gender Inequality Index places Finland at a favorably high rank.

             When we analyzed the data on women MLAs across India, we found that Bihar had the highest percentage of women MLAs, and, ironically, the lowest rate of female literacy. And the 2013 Karnataka assembly polls saw only 5 women elected to the Vidhan Sabha out of a total of 224 members. Several state elections and Parliamentary elections in 2014 are coming up. How will women electoral contenders do this time round? Their numbers have been rising steadily over the years.

Women’s Representation in Legislature:

          India’s ranking in the above parameters does not present a very good picture. The scores for women Parliamentarians as well as gender inequality are poor. China is one country which closely compares to India for socio-economic and demographic analyses. There is electoral quota for women in China. It is ranked 54 with 23% women in the national assembly. The GII rank of China is 35.

        Mahatma Gandhi said that,” Man and woman will attain equality only when the birth of a girl is celebrated with as much joy as in the case of boy." (Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 87. p.229). 

Mahatma Gandhi’s view about Women:

      Mahatma Gandhi wrote in Young India in 1921 that the female sex is the nobler of the two, as it is the embodiment of sacrifice, silent suffering, humility, faith and knowledge. “Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none to me is so degrading, so shocking, or so brutal as his abuse of the better half of humanity, the female sex, not the weaker sex,” (CW. XXI: p. 105). He said that woman has the right to participate in the very minutest detail in the activities of man and has an equal right of freedom and liberty with him. “She is entitled to a supreme place in her own sphere of activity as man is in his,” (In his speech at Bhagini Samaj, Bombay, in February 1918) he said. He realized that the backwardness of woman was a stumbling block in the path of progress.

Gandhi’s View about Women political participation:

       Gandhiji attended the Second Round Tablet as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress. All other delegates from India were nominees of the Viceroy, Lord Irwin.

               In fighting for women rights, however, Gandhiji wanted the women of   India,   not to imitate the West, but to apply "methods suited to the Indian genius and Indian environment.

·         Need of Women Participation:

        At the RTC's federal Structure Committee meeting on September 17, 1931, Gandhiji clarify that, though the Congress was not in favour of any scheme of nominating members to legislative bodies to give adequate representation to minorities, the national organization was duty-bound to sponsor candidates giving fair representation to minorities including special cases like women. If they were left out, he would "have a clause in the Constitution which would enable the elected Legislature to elect those who should have been elected, but have not been elected or unjustly left out by the electorate."

      Sarojini Naidu was a nominated delegate, Gandhiji, heaving a humorous sigh of relief, remarked: "Thank God! The women there did not put forward a claim either for separate electorate or for reservation of specific number of seats in Legislatures!" (Gandhiji’s address to women at Santiniketan in 1940)

·         Women Participation on Spirit & Merit basis:

             Gandhiji wrote,  I am  not enamoured of equality or any other proportion in such matters. Merit should be the only test.  Seeing, however, that it has become the custom to decry women, the contrary custom should be to prefer women, merit being more or less equal, to men even if the preference should result in men being entirely displaced by women. It would be a dangerous thing to insist on membership in legislature on the ground of sex. Women, and for that matter any group, should disclaim patronage. They should seek justice, never favours. Therefore, the proper thing is, for women, as indeed for men, to advance the spread of general education through their provincial languages as will fit then for numerous duties of citizenship... " ( Harijan, April 7, 1946),

·         Women Participation for Strengthening Panchyat:

   Gandhiji said: "In my opinion, it is degrading both for man and woman that women should be called upon or induced to forsake the hearth and shoulder the rifle for the protection of that hearth. It is a reversion to barbarity and the beginning of the end." At the constructive workers' conference in Madras on January 27, 1946, Gandhi called upon women to enter the legislatures with the idea of serving the people and not politicking on party-basis. But how many of these would be able to enter the legislatures in a spirit of service, and strengthen the panchayat base, he asked. Their aim must be to build from below so that the panchayat foundation would be strong and the structure good. If any mistake occurred while building from the bottom, it could rectified immediately and the harm done would not be much. (Addressing a few girls who called on him at New Delhi on April 7, 1947)

Role of Mahatma Gandhi in Women’s Political Participation:

           During the freedom struggle in the 1930s, Gandhiji exhorted women to take part in Satyagraha movement on par with men. That 17,000 of around 30,000 persons who courted arrest during the Salt Satyagraha were women volunteers in a conspicuous example of their equal role under the leadership of the Mahatma.

             Gandhi gave to the women of India was of such a nature that they responded to it in a manner which they had never done before. “His civil disobedience campaigns brought about, in a dramatic manner, the entry of women in larger numbers into the public life of India. These became the starting points of women’s emancipation in our land.”(Bose : 74).

         It shows that the upliftment of women was given an important place in Gandhi’s constructive programme. Hearing his clarion call to action women came out in large numbers giving up their sheltered and secluded existence to play their role in the national movement. Aristocratic women discarded their fineries and adornments and cheerfully marched to prison wearing coarse handspun and handmade chappals. Kamala Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Anasuya Sarabhai, Sushila Nayyar and Miraben are a few of the illustrious women associated with the Gandhian movement. The emancipation of the Indian woman has largely been attributed to the political awakening of the pace of national life in all spheres. The picketing of liquor, opium and foreign cloth shops in the thirties was almost exclusively done by women.

         It is clear that the role of Gandhi in motivation a large number of women into the mainstream of the freedom movement means political participation. Gandhi's ideas about women and their role in political life was a departure from those of the 20th century reformers. He saw women as a potential force in the struggle to build a new social & Political order.  He consciously attempted to articulate the connections between private and public life in order to bring women into the freedom struggle. However, he failed to come to terms with the fact that oppression is not a moral condition but a social and historical experience relating to production relations. On the other hand even while insisting that a woman's real sphere of activity was the home, he was instrumental in creating conditions which could help women break the shackles of domesticity.

Present position of Women Participation in India:

In recent past, Indian records show that there has been an increase in the percentage of women voters. Such participation owe a lot to the mobilization efforts for spreading the importance of women exercising their franchise made by political parties, NGOs, Action Groups and the general awareness among the community. But we can’t forget that its credit goes to Mahatma Gandhi. Because he is a first man who given motivation to women for participation in political movement.

Again, a note of caution is required; let it be assumed that political participation always indicates political awareness on the part of the woman voter. Usually, however, countries that do hold regular elections show an improved recognition of women as a political constituency and parties and candidates tend to adopt pro-women stances and appeal specifically to women’s votes, especially at the time of elections. This becomes very evident when we look at consecutive elections in the Indian context, wherein there is a growing consciousness of the need to woo the woman voter and the need to pay attention to the needs and issues of women, in the election manifestos of political parties.

      women's rights but pay attention to enroll as many women as possible as voters, impart or have imparted to them practical education, teach them to think independently, release them from the chain of caste that bind them so as to bring about a change in them which will compel men to realise women's political strength and capacity for sacrifice and give her places of honour. If women workers do this, they will purify the present unclean political atmosphere.”

Conclusion:
         Lastly conclude that Politics in the present day society is mainly a skill controlled area. Persons skilled enough to control the environment are definitely active in politics. Therefore political efficiency and personal control is closely related. Individuals having personal control perceive the political system to have great influence on their socio economic and other personal pursuits. For them the political system is the only source from which they can get some benefits, the decisions of the political system may also be viewed as interfering in their various pursuits and; they have an obligation to be concerned with the political process.

         So, it is clear from a comparative analysis that quotas for women in politics have not essentially ensured higher equality. There is no simplistic explanation to the social and cultural influences on the position of women in politics in a country. Quotas have done their bit in securing equality for women in some nations. There are also countries that have secured higher representation for women without reservation in national politics. Constitutional quotas were introduced for women in local governments in India. The effects of these quotas are still not visible in state and national governments in India. From 5% in the first general elections to 11% women representatives in the fifteenth Lok Sabha; how much better can we do in the coming national elections?

        The issue of low representation of women will be brought up again as political parties start issuing tickets for the general elections as the Women’s Reservation Bill has been in limbo in the Parliament for years.

References:

1.      International Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences, Vol.1, New York, 1968,p.225.

2.      Laxmi Devi, Encyclopedia of Women's Development and Family Welfare, Vo1 Anmol Publications, New Delhi, 1998

3.      Bose, Nirmal Kumar. Lectures on Gandhism.

4.      Datta, D.M. The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.

5.      Fischer, Louis. The Life of Mahatma Gandhi.

6.      Gandhi, Mohandas Karam Chand. Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. (CW.XXI ;105)

7.      Radhakrishnan, S. Ed. Mahatma Gandhi: 100 Years.

8.      GEETHA KUMARI M.B. Teaches English at the University College, Thiruvananthapuram. Much interested in Gandhian Studies in which she has a doctoral degree.

Salt Problems and Salt March

Salt Problems and Salt March

                                                                                           Dr. Shubhangi Rathi

Associate  Professor & H.O.D. Political Science,

Smt. P.K. Kotecha Mahila Mahavidhalaya, Bhusawal

                                                                                                                 rathi.shubha19@gmail.com

Abstract:

            After Bihar and Orissa, it's now the West Bengal where people have resorted to panic buying of salt over rumours. It would disappear from markets. The panic buying led its price to hit an unprecedented Rs.100 per kg in Darjeeling. Inflation is the biggest problem in India. As per the news of media, every middle class person face problem. In Nov.2013, State Government appealed to people not to purchase salt from the black market by paying four to ten times its original price. Today such type of news remembers to us Salt March of Mahatma Gandhi. He wrote that the tax levied on salt in India has always been a subject of criticism. Aim of this paper is aware people about importance and production of salt position in India. As well as rethink about Gandhian thought.

Introduction:

           Salt is one of the basic elements of our body. Without salt we could not exist for a moment. At the fundamental level of the physical body, we are a walking, breathing, salty ocean. It is the sodium present in salt that the body requires in order to perform a variety of essential functions. Salt helps maintain the fluid in our blood cells and is used to transmit information in our nerves and muscles. It is also used in the uptake of certain nutrients from our small intestines. The body cannot make salt and so we are reliant on food to ensure that we get the required intake. Our body needs salt because naturally people cannot live without salt. 
        Institute of Medicine recommends people to consume half a teaspoon of salt each day to get sufficient levels of sodium for the body. Sodium is an electrolyte that helps maintain muscle function and hydration. If sodium levels are not replenished, then there is a possibility that the blood pressure will drop which could make a person feel dizzy and see stars.
So salt is needed by the body in order for it to function optimally. But one thing which should be kept in mind is that you should consume salt as needed and do not overdo it.
Salt Production:

         Salt production declined by 2.1% in 2012 against previous year due to lower US and Canadian volumes. The winter appeared to be mild in North America, which caused decline in production. Several countries also supplied less salt to the world market in 2012, while there was no significant increase in output of any particular country or region. China is the leader in the market with 26.1% share. USA contributes 14.4% of the global volume. Germany, India and Australia add 6.6%, 6.1% and 4.2% to the number, respectively. Other producers are minor and do not influences salt march.

         Salt is a Central subject in the Constitution of India and appears as item No.58 of the Union List of the 7^th Schedule. Salt has been produced all along the Rann of Kutch on the west coast of India for the past 5,000 years. India is the third largest Salt producing Country in the World after China and USA. Global annual production is being about 230 million tones.  The growth and achievement of Salt Industry over the last 60 years has been spectacular.  When India attained Independence in 1947, salt was being imported from the United Kingdom & Aden to meet its domestic requirement.  But today it has not only achieved self-sufficiency in production of salt to meet its domestic requirement but also in a position of exporting surplus salt to foreign countries. The production of salt during 1947 was 1.9 million tones which have increased tenfold to record 22.18 million tons during 2011-12.

                 India exports surplus production of salt to the tune of about 35 lakh tones on an average; during the year 2011-12, a record export of 38 lakh tones was achieved primarily due to surge of demand from China. Other major countries importing salt from India are Japan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Korea, North Korea, Malaysia, U.A.E., Vietnam, Quatar etc.

Historical Background of Salt Tax:

   Taxation of salt before British rule:

·        Salt is a commodity which had been taxed in India ever since the time of the Mauryas

·        Taxes on salt have been prevalent even during the time of Chandragupta Maurya.

  Taxation of salt by the British East India Company:

·        In 1772, the then Governor-General Warren Hastings  brought the salt trade once again under the Company's control.

·        In 1780, Warren Hastings brought the salt trade once again under government control.

·        From 1788 onwards, the Company took to selling to wholesalers by auction. Due to this move by the British East India Company,

·        On 1 November 1804, the British monopolized salt in newly conquered Orissa.

·        In the early 19th century, to make the salt tax more profitable and stop the smuggling.  The East India Company established customs check points throughout Bengal.

   Taxation of salt by the British authorities:

·        The taxation laws introduced by the British East India Company were in vogue during the ninety years.

·        In 1900 and 1905, India was one of the largest producers of salt in the world, with a yield of 1,021,426 metric tons and 1,212,600 metric tons respectively.

·        In 1923, under the viceroyalty of Lord Reading, a bill was passed doubling the salt tax.

·        The first laws to regulate the salt tax were made by the British East India Company.

·        In 1835, the Government appointed a salt commission to review the existing salt tax.

Effect of Salt Tax

           The high price of salt made unaffordable resulting in a number of diseases arising due to iodine deficiency.Abhay Charan Das, in his The Indian Ryot published in 1881, wrote: “Then again there is a still more wretched creature, which bears the name of labourer, whose income may be fixed at thirty-five rupees per annum. If he, with his wife and three children, consumes twenty-four seers [49 lb.] of salt, he must pay a salt duty of two rupees and seven annas, or in other words 7 ½ per cent income taxes. Now we leave it to our readers to judge, whether the ryots and the labourers can procure salt in the quantities they require. We can positively state from our own experience, that an ordinary ryot can never procure more than two-thirds of what he requires, and that a labourer not more than half.

         In South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi had written first article on the salt tax in 1891 in the periodical The Vegetarian. He wrote in The Indian Opinion: 'The tax levied on salt in India has always been a subject of criticism. This time it has been criticized by the well-known Dr. Hutchinson who says that 'it is a great shame for the British Government in India to continue it, while a similar tax previously in force in Japan has been abolished. Salt is an essential article in our dietary. It could be said that the increasing incidence of leprosy in India was due to the salt tax. Dr. Hutchinson considers the salt tax a barbarous practice, which ill becomes the British Government.

       In 1909, Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his Hind Swaraj from South Africa, urging the British administration to abolish the salt tax. The Salt March, this took place from March to April 1930 in India. It was an act of civil disobedience led by Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) to protest British rule in India.

Salt March: Background

          Britain's Salt Acts prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt, a staple in the Indian diet. Citizens were forced to buy the vital mineral from the British, who, in addition to exercising a monopoly over the manufacture and sale of salt also exerted a heavy salt tax. Although India's poor suffered most under the tax, Indians required salt. Defying the Salt Acts, Mohandas Gandhi reasoned, would be an ingeniously simple way for many Indians to break a British law nonviolently. British rule of India began in 1858. After living for two decades in South Africa, he fought for the civil rights of Indians residing there. Gandhi returned to his native country in 1915. Soon he began working for India’s independence. Gandhi declared resistance to British salt policies to be the unifying theme for his new campaign of “satyagraha,” or mass civil disobedience.

Salt March: 1930

          On 12 March 1930, Gandhi set out from his ashram, or religious retreat, at Sabermati near Ahmedabad with several dozen followers on a trek of some 240 miles to the coastal town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea. There, Gandhi and his supporters were to defy British policy by making salt from seawater. All along the way, Gandhi addressed large crowds and with each passing day an increasing number of people joined the salt satyagraha. By the time they reached Dandi on April 5, Gandhi was at the head of a crowd of tens of thousands. He spoke and led prayers and early the next morning walked down to the sea to make salt.

       He had planned to work the salt flats on the beach, encrusted with crystallized sea salt at every high tide, but the police had forestalled him by crushing the salt deposits into the mud. Nevertheless, Gandhi reached down and picked up a small lump of natural salt out of the mud--and British law had been defied. At Dandi, thousands more followed his lead, and in the coastal cities of Bombay (now called Mumbai) and Karachi, Indian nationalists led crowds of citizens in making salt. Civil disobedience broke out all across India, soon involving millions of Indians, and British authorities arrested more than 60,000 people. Gandhi himself was arrested on May 5, but the satyagraha continued without him.

     On May 21, the poet Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949) led 2,500 marchers on the Dharasana Salt Works, some 150 miles north of Bombay. Several hundred British-led Indian policemen met them and viciously beat the peaceful demonstrators. The incident, recorded by American journalist Webb Miller, prompted an international outcry against British policy in India.

Salt March: Aftermath

       In January 1931, Gandhi was released from prison. He later met with Lord Irwin (1881-1959), the viceroy of India, and agreed to call off the satyagraha in exchange for an equal negotiating role at a London conference on India's future. In August of that year, Gandhi traveled to the conference as the sole representative of the nationalist Indian National Congress. The meeting was a disappointment, but British leaders had acknowledged Gandhi as a force they could not suppress or ignore.²

Conclusion:

           Lastly we can conclude that in present scenario middle class or poor Indians are faced various problems related to hike price. Price hike or the inflation is a necessary evil of a growing economy such as ours. This could be tamed through suitable and sustainable measures. The problem of price hike is a problem faced by common people. It is the infallible duty of the Indian Government and the Economists to bring it under control. It is the duty of the people to grow or produce by multiplications of part as procreation the technical aspects of inflation among unapprised masses. The only alternative available is to throw away the neo-liberal model of growth and adopt a people centric development model. Need of today is again remember the thought of Gandhiji to apply the moral values in politics, business or industry; we can do in private life. Love, truth, non-violence, all these ideals can be applied in business and now to every aspect of life.

References:

1.       Gandhi, Mahatma; Dalton, Dennis (1996). Selected Political Writings. Hackett Publishing Company. 

2.       Gandhi, M. K. (2001). Non-Violent Resistance (Satyagraha). Courier Dover Publications. 

3.        Hardiman, David (2003). Gandhi in His Time and Ours: The Global Legacy of His Ideas. Columbia University Press. 

4.        http://mcgroup.co.uk/researches/salt

5.        http://www.history.com/topics/salt-march

6.       http://thenagain.info/webchron/India/SaltMarch.html

Relevance of Mahatma Gandhiji’s Ideology in the Context of Indian Democracy

    Relevance of Mahatma Gandhiji’s Ideology in the Context of Indian Democracy

Associate Professor & H.O.D. Poliical Science,

Smt. P.K. Kotecha Mahila Mahavidhalaya, Bhusawal

Abstract:  India follows the democratic type of Government. India is a big country and hence needs to be governed in a proper and an effective way. Mahatma Gandhi’s imagination of the democracy -fully encircled with non-violence -exists in no nation of the world as up to now. His ideal is a stateless democracy, in which there is a federation of satyagrahi village communities, functioning on the basis of voluntary cooperation and dignified and peaceful co-existence are relevance in the context of Indian democracy. In the present day democracy, there is a great deal of centralization and inequality. Gandhian concept of Self Rule means Swaraj is real democracy, where people’s power rests in the individuals and each one realizes that he or she is the real master of one’s self. These issues are still relevant to what free India is and represent. The main cause of worry today is intolerance and hatred leading to violence and it is here the values of Gandhi need to be adhered to with more passion discussed in this paper. He is relevant not yesterday or today but forever.

Meaning of Democracy:

           Democracy is a form of Government which is very popular and also considered as one the most effective forms. In this form of Government, the majority of decisions are taken by the representatives that are chosen by the people. India follows the democratic type of Government. India is a big country and hence needs to be governed in a proper and an effective way. The representatives chosen by the people are the ones who take major decisions pertaining to the development of the country. Democracy is the best kind of government because one has lot of benefits. India is truly democratic since one enjoys freedom of speech and expression here. Here people can voice their opinions openly and straight. In a way democracy makes sure that equality is maintained. In India all the citizens are treated equally and have the same set of rights as the others. By true definition democracy does not differentiate on the basis of religion, colour, caste and creed.  However, there have been instances when the term democracy has been misused. The main reason for this being ignorance. The government which runs the country is chosen by the people, for the people.

 Mahatma Gandhi’s Thoughts on Democracy:

·        Non-violence: Mahatma Gandhi’s imagination of the democracy -fully encircled with non-violence -exists in no nation of the world as up to now. Democracy of his imagination happens to be one, which does not have any provision of punishment and even an organization like ‘State’ happens to be obsolete in it. This is because Mahatma Gandhi holds, “…State is symbolical of centralized and organized violence.” As non-violence is connected with human soul, man can be non-violent whereas in opposition to it, “… State is a soul-less machine. On this accord, it is impossible to get rid of violence. Its very existence depends upon violence.” Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, non-violence should be admitted as invariable part of our life and it is on the basis of this dictum that modem polities must operate.

·        Stateless democracy: Gandhi’s ideal is a stateless democracy, in which there is a federation of satyagrahi village communities, functioning on the basis of voluntary cooperation and dignified and peaceful co-existence. Non-existence of state as cherished by Mahatma Gandhi is impossible instantly or in near future. Even then, it is incumbent on the people, who are living in state organizations, to develop non-violence that is permanently present in their nature and to enhance it gradually up to adequate level. Along with that, democratic system should work in direction of development of non-violence at individual, community, social and national levels. The atmosphere of fear which we see, the diminution of values in life and the problems having cropped up vividly cannot be eradicated without developing it.
Decentralization and equality: While in the present day democracy, there is a great deal of centralization and inequality. In a stateless democracy there is decentralization and equality. Non profession and bread labour should be the ideal of the society.   In a stateless democracy every individual gets the maximum freedom to devote himself to the service of the society according to his caliber or capacity.

·        Village economy: Gandhiji was again highly centralized production and advocate decentralized production. The idea was not to do away entirely with machinery as such, but to prevent the concentration of power in the hand of few rich. He aimed at the eradication of poverty by a revival of village economy. Emphasis was laid on intensive, small scale, individual and diversified farming and a cattle based economy.(Pyarelal, Toward New Horizons-1959, page201.)

·        Voter’s qualification: In the Gandhian democracy will play an important role. Their members are being directly elected. Voters are to have the qualification of manual work. Whose importance was always emphasized by Gandhiji. Village democracy would be decentralized political order.

·        Swaraj: Gandhian concept of Self Rule means Swaraj is real democracy, where people’s power rests in the individuals and each one realizes that he or she is the real master of one’s self. Thus people are sovereign in a democracy but in a parliamentary democracy, party system has a vital role to play. However, Gandhi was highly critical of the parliamentary democracy and in his monumental book “Hind Swaraj” (Self Rule or Home Rule, he has called the British Parliament as a “sterile women and a prostitute” (Hind Swaraj-Ch-V, p.12), though for him “good government is no substitute for self-government.” (Tendulkar, DG, Mahatma, Vol.II, p.24)

·        Form of Democracy: There is contradiction in the statement of Gandhi about parliamentary democracy but while diving deep into the democratic ideals, he has said, “Democracy, disciplined and enlightened is the finest things in the world.” (Prabhu, R.K., and Rao, UR,-The Mind of Mahatma, Oxford University Press, P-130) At the same time, he also cautions people against a whole-sale copying of the Western Model of democracy, where there are only nominal democracies. However, he has highest regards for Democracy and he calls it as “a great institution” and again conscious people and says, “It is liable to be greatly abused.”(The Mind of Mahatma-p.345.) Even today, all over the world, democracy is widely accepted principle of the system of governance and there is no alternative to democracy.

·        Future of Democracy: Thus it is abundantly clear that for future, Gandhian concept of democracy is the only hope, where it must be practiced at the grass–root level, party system to be built up on accepted principles and not on partisan line, defection should be done away with and recall of recalcitrant representatives must be adhered to. Defects and demerits must be removed from the present democratic form of governance. People’s power must be accepted to make democracy safe; otherwise if the democracy is abused or misused, the future of people is doomed.

·        Present Situation of Democracy in India: Democracy Though India is democratic country, today the definition of the same has changed to a certain extent, mainly due to the ignorance and unawareness of the masses. Illiteracy is one reason for this. What we need to thoroughly understand is that democracy lets us use our freedom and we as citizens have to make sure that we use it in a constructive way which will help in the development and progress of the country. India proudly talks of being democratic but citizens should take special care to see that the term democracy is not misunderstood and misinterpreted.

·        Extraordinary character for Gandhian Democracy: Gandhian ideas are difficult to be put into practice, unless people are of extraordinary character, high moral capacity and integrity. Gandhian philosophy really speaking did not strike deep roots even in India. Most of Gandhi’s followers paid only lip sympathy to it. But they are not owing to Gandhiji’s failure or weaknesses of his thought, but owing to the drawbacks and weakness in ordinary human being.

·        Observation: It shows that democracy is regarded as a best form of government. At the same time, it is the most difficult form & certain countries democracy has been a great success, while in others it is a total failure or walk likes a cripple.

       I have stated that polities cannot all of a sudden operate as per expectation of the Great Mahatma Gandhi. Non-violence cannot be a part of conduct instantly. But Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion is very important in this regard. However, the polities must forward certainly in this direction. Needless to say that non-violence is true, natural, and enemy of fearfulness, stands at top amongst eternal values including the equality and has been gradually progressive. Its nice and vital example is before us in the form of its development unto today, since the inception of human race-that is since initial human-state. We clearly see that in spite of differences to whatsoever extent, ultimately there is an innovative desire for peace. This is because non-violence happens to be in human nature.  Presently a big portion of the world happens to be under Democratic system of Government. Theoretically, this system stands out to be the best up to now. This is a truth. Because people are connected with it directly or indirectly at every level. This provides us maximum opportunities of progress and development. If we peruse it, we first of all find that there is non-equal development of the citizens. We subsequently find that these nations are more or less victimized by regionalism. They have problem relating to language. They are under clutches of terrorism and communalism. There is also the problem of negation of human rights in these nations. There are various other problems akin to mention above and peace is far away so long as these problems exist. These nations should get themselves rid of these problems, all citizens of them must have equal development and they should have communal harmony towards making all citizens collective and unified partners in progress.             

·        Democratic system of government should be free from above-mentioned problems.

·        It must be capable of ensuring equal development of their all citizens.

·        The citizens concerned must march forward on path of progress in unified way along with rendering contribution to world peace.

·        His ideology of nonviolence may not succeed, but it opens a world of possibilities and encourages us to think outside the box.

·        Truth and Non-violence is not meant for individuals alone but can be applied in global affairs too.

Conclusion: Lastly we can conclude that Gandhi’s vision for the country and his dreams for the community as a whole still hold good for India. He got the community to assimilate and reflect true values of humanity and to participate in tasks that would promote the greater good. These issues are still relevant to what free India is and represents. The main cause of worry today is intolerance and hatred leading to violence and it is here the values of Gandhi need to be adhered to with more passion. He is relevant not yesterday or today but forever!!

References:

1.     Ideologist Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a former vice chancellor of CCS University, Meerut [India]; he is the editor of Global Peace International Journal.

2.     Jai Narain Sharma, “Indian society of Gandhian studies”, Journal of Gandhian studies, Vol. 5, 2007.

3.     Kapur, Devesh (2010): “The Middle Class in India:  A Social Formation or Political Actor” in Julian Go

4.     Sridharan, E (2008): “The Political Economy of the Middle Classes in Liberalizing India”, ISAS Working Paper.

5.     Chand Hukam, History of modern India, Anmol Publication Pvt. Ltd (2005)

6.     http://www.globalpolitician.com/print.asp?id=3462