W4 - GANDHI

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869-30 January 1948) is the key figure and the leader of India nationalism in British India. Mohandas K Gandhi was also known as Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhiji, and Bapu. Mahatma Gandhi was born at Gujarat, British India. Gandhi was really the father of India because of his non-violence effort against anything, especially on the rights of people. In spite of his non-violence action reformation in India, demanding a polite way to gain independence, there were some claim that his non-violence tactic brings a savage action among his supporters. For example, conflict between Muslims and Hindus around 1947. This conflict has bring a bad interpretation to Gandhi, plus on his last years standing on this earth. This writing will expose on how Gandhi has failed on his work for the people of India.

It is true that Gandhi's effort on India independence was big and well worth. India finally became a free nation in 15 August 1947. This shows the long and hard effort by Gandhi was paid off and successed. He wanted the India that he believed and saw during his travel around India after arrived in Bombay, 1915. Mahatma Gandhi really wanted to build a new nation of India, where Hindus, Muslims, Sikh, and others can peacefully lives in one country; India. But, Gandhi's dream and hope just fled away after the civil war or conflict happens between the Hindus and Muslims all over the India. This shows in his effort on promoting non-violence action, he was trapped with his own words and verbal action. Ironically, he has served the Colonial British against Zulu Kingdom in Southern Africa during Second Boer War, 1899. Plus, he recruited the men of India to go war against the Axis under the name of India or Gurkha army, which serves under the British commands. While he promoting his non-violence action around the world, the savage killings and genocide was happened under his watch in India.

Gandhi also has failed as the inspirational idols to the people in India during his last days. He was fasting during the day that the conflict happen and right in front of his house. The rioters who is on the Hindu's side claim the action of Gandhi on the conflict. Gandhi was just simply silent and whispers that he's on fasting. The fasting activity was regularly used by Gandhi and his followers as a sign of protest for the recent issues. Gandhi's fasting activity makes others drove angrily and act drastically by assaulting strangers or the opposite religion. Again, the non-violence effort done by Gandhi as a sign of rebel against certain issues was not worth anymore during the conflicts.

 (Figure 3: India soldier executed Pakistans during 1971 Indo-Pakistan War)

Another evidence of Gandhi's failure can be seen on the day he is died. His assasination reflects that he's method of peace were reach on top and no longer implies on the society. Plus, he has created a fanatics on his movement. This creation of Gandhi lastly keep him down forever after he was shot in the open crowd, 30 January 1948. Apparently, the shooter was the Hindu fanatics that guess Gandhi was not suits with the movement and current problems happens around India on that day. Gandhi acted like he does not care about peace anymore. By that time, the dream of India by Gandhi was ruined after the split of nation according to religion, which is Pakistan for Muslim and India for Hindu. 

Basically, Mahatma Gandhi non-violence movement was really suits with the situation around the India during that time. But the reality, the peaceful method practised by Gandhi was not eligible for the people of India during the conflict during and after independence. In other words, Gandhi's method was limited by the time of national movement and no longer adapted by Indian's society afterwards.

GOOD GUY GANDHI