E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s Pancha Mahavrat… 71misunderstanding even among his close associates. He was soconvinced of his principle that he refused to give any ground.During his Noakhali sojourn he believed that he hadsuccessfully fulfilled all the eleven vows includingbrahmacharya which he had taken at Satyagraha Ashram. In aringing voice he told Manu Gandhi: “I have successfullyobserved the eleven vows undertaken by me. This is theculmination of my striving for last sixty years” 18IVGandhian Concept of SwarajThe idea of Swaraj was so basic to Gandhi’s thinkingand action that the only book he ever wrote (the original was inGujarati) and himself translated in English. he called this workHind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule). Let us see how heconceptualised Swaraj therein. Two chapters of Hind Swaraj(chapters IV and XIV) are specifically devoted to (a)conceptualizing Swaraj and (b) how it could be achieved forthe Indians. A close perusal of these chapters reveals thatGandhi is not out to offer a hackneyed definition of Swaraj. Inthe chapter on ‘What is Swaraj’ he offers a critique of theprevailing notions of Swaraj, propagated by revolutionaries andthe extremists. He rejects the ‘revolutionaries’ view that onlyphysical expulsion of the British could suffice to serve thepurpose of Swaraj. Nor does he accept the ‘Extremists’ view ofSwaraj, as they wanted the British to go but not to banish theinstitutions created by them lock, stock and barrel. He raises aquestion mark against the liberal view of Swaraj in terms of‘self-government’ patterned on the British colonies like Canadaand others. Rounding up the discussion, he rejects one and allthe prevailing notions of Swaraj when he says: ‘we wantEnglish rule without the Englishman, You want the tiger’snature, but not the tiger; that is to say, you would make IndiaEnglish, and when it becomes English, it will be called notHindustan but Englistan. This is not Swaraj that I want’. 19