E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Five Fallacies … 135But then he decided to stay on - not to acquiesce by silence, butto pit his views against those of the stalwarts, and to insist on avote on - his motion. He could have voiced his views andabided by the consensus. He was new to the Congress, but heknew that it was his duty to persist even if he were in aminority, and even if he had to go against the leadership. Hewould not have launched the "Quit India" struggle of 1942 if hehad been ready to abide by a consensus. He considered it hisduty to tell the nation that he would launch the struggle onbehalf of the Congress if possible; on his own, if the Congressdid not endorse his view. Instances can be multiplied."I have always been in a minority. In South Africa, I startedwith practical unanimity, reached a minority of sixty four andeven sixteen, and went up again with a huge majority. The bestand the most solid work was done in the wilderness of minority... They little know that I dread it (majority) even more thanthat. I would feel certain of my ground if I was spat upon bythem ... And even though I have to face the prospect of aminority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be insuch a hopeless minority. That to me is the only truthfulposition." 20Gandhi, thus, never waited for a consensus. He couldnot countenance it as a condition precedent for action. Waitingfor a consensus meant a moratorium on action; which meant adouble dereliction of duty for a Satyagrahi: one, theacquiescence in evil or cooperation with evil that resulted fromfailure to dissociate with evil; and two, the indirect support thatinaction gave to the status quo. In public affairs, inaction isaction on the side of the status quo. That it is unconscious orunintentional does not make it any less effective at themovement when the battle is on. A Satyagrahi has no businessto become an unconscious soldier of adversary.