E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi and Contemporary… 111goals, if we take a cue from Gandhi’s practice. It was always asmall issue around which Gandhi always tried to address thebigger issues. Consider Zinn’s statement:We need devices which are powerful but restrained,explosive but controlled: to resist the government’s actionsagainst the lives and liberties of its citizens; to organizepeople to replace the holders of power, as one round inthat continuing cycle of political renewal which alone canprevent tyranny. 15What if the young Kashmiris or northeasterners adoptthe same tactics of the Arab Spring and Anna Hazare? Will theIndian state clamp down on such peaceful protests? These arequestions that nonviolent actionists will have to answer. Atleast one has to distinguish between an armed revolt and apeaceful way of expressing grievances, however unpalatablethe grievance may be to the authorities. The Arab Spring aswell as the Hazare movement has reminded audiences aroundthe world about the power of nonviolent action once again, andI think that the ‘progressive substitution’ about which Robertsspoke of will gather greater momentum in the years to come.Notes and References