E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & TimesChapter XXIVGandhi Enters PoliticsMAHATMA Gandhi always resisted politics. He regarded his South African workas moral and social, therefore religious. After his return to India in 1915 heattended annual sessions of the Congress, but his public activity at suchassemblies was squally limited to moving a resolution in support of the Indiansin South Africa. Moreover, he regarded the Congress as the unofficialparliament of India in which all political trends and parties were, or could be,represented.To join one party dedicated to a political goal meant a separation from otherparties, and Gandhi disliked anything divisive. He had strong beliefs but nodogmas.Gandhi’s 'readiness to take up the cudgels on behalf of any individual or classwhom he regarded as being oppressed', reads a discerning remark in a 1919British government Publication, 'has endeared him to the masses of thecountry'. He preferred the warm bond of human affection to the cold tongue ofa party programme.Yet, in 1920 Gandhi joined the All-India Home Rule League and became itspresident.Politics can probably be- defined as competition for power, implies an effort toweaken, destroy, or assume the power those in power. Gandhi did not wish toweaken, destroy, or supplant Smuts in South Africa. But by becoming leaderOf the All-India Home Rule League, Gandhi did accept the goal of Indian selfgovernmentinstead of government by England. The Congress did not yetadvocate independence.Gandhi's early steps in politics were uncertain. Indeed, he remained politicallyunpredictable throughout life because his mind was a battlefield on whichcaution contended with passion. Ready to die fighting for a principle, hewww.mkgandhi.org Page 210