Question

Analyse the role of Gandhiji after the independence of India.

Answer 1

1. Absence from political power:
   • After India gained independence in 1947, Gandhiji chose not to join the government or occupy any official role in the new Indian state.
   • He refused political office and preferred to stay outside formal political institutions.
2. Vision of Gram Swaraj:
   • Gandhiji supported a decentralised system of governance based on the idea of Gram Swaraj or village self-rule.
   • He believed that true freedom (Purna Swaraj) could be achieved only when Indian villages became self-reliant and autonomous.
3. Promotion of communal harmony:
   • In the period following Partition, Gandhiji actively worked to restore communal peace, especially in Bengal and Delhi.
   • He undertook several fasts to oppose communal violence and to urge reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims.
4. Stance during the Partition riots:
   • At a time when large parts of north India were affected by Partition-related violence, Gandhiji firmly resisted hatred and bloodshed.
   • His presence and fasting in Calcutta helped calm tensions during one of the most turbulent post-Partition moments.
5. Opposition to Partition but acceptance of reality:
   • Although he opposed the division of India on religious lines, he accepted Partition once it became unavoidable.
   • He concentrated on healing the pain caused by separation rather than fuelling further conflict.
6. Critique of power politics:
   • Gandhiji was uneasy about the celebrations on 15 August 1947, viewing independence as incomplete due to the violence and mass displacement caused by Partition.
   • He criticised politics focused on power and stressed that freedom was meaningless without addressing the problems of the poor and marginalised.
7. Final fast and death:
   • In January 1948, Gandhiji observed his last fast in Delhi to press the Indian government to release Pakistan’s agreed share of funds, in the interest of justice and peace.
   • His unwavering commitment to justice, even when controversial, led to his assassination on 30 January 1948 by Nathuram Godse, who opposed his views on Muslims and Pakistan.
8. Moral authority:
   • Despite holding no official post, Gandhiji continued to exercise strong moral influence over Indian politics and society until his death.
   • His principles of non-violence, tolerance, and equality continued to shape the values of post-independence India.