Those who seek
power must win the hearts of people and rise above the differences of caste, colour, language, and religion
Aanehi Mundra
India is the dream of the land of MK Gandhi, it has been often spoken of as a land that gave birth to a nonviolent freedom movement. Gandhi spoke of freedom which was not only from external rulers but also from vices within us. Seventy-four years have passed since we lost Gandhi. Today, we celebrate his return to India from South Africa as Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas. With that legacy, India welcomes its diaspora to invest in their homeland and revive their emotional connections. These celebrations recently concluded in my hometown of Indore in Madhya Pradesh on 9th January. They were also taken to the newly renovated spiritual city, Ujjain. The Mahakal corridor attracted everyone with a lot of fervor. At this time, I appropriately picked up R K Narayan's book, ‘Waiting for Mahatma'. My generation has not seen Gandhi, but we have experienced him through his books and writings on him. For me, his ideas of a minimalistic lifestyle, somber living, and looking around in a non-judgemental way are indicative of a good life.
The Gandhian path may look simple, but it is equally difficult to be followed in today's fast life. More so, neither was it easy, back then. Many of us are inspired by him and are willing to follow it now. Rahul Gandhi's ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra' is a political revival of the way in which Mahatma used to pursue his work, walking through the real India, rural India. Rahul Gandhi's walk is real or reel is not my inquisition. The term ‘Yatra' was taken from Mahatma's Dandi Yatra. The Satyagraha is for people's right to make their own salt. The revival of this Yatra is at a time when the country's roots are shaken. Parliament is fraught with accusations, the ruling party is questioned, the opposition is still weak, and the common people are struggling for basic amenities. It was this walk that connected Kanyakumari to Kashmir, it brought a ray of hope to people that made them feel connected to the corridors of power.
However, how long this connection stays, is a question. It was Gandhi's charisma that brought others to follow his path of truth and non-violence. If one needs to have the charisma of Mahatma, which made the entire nation walk behind him, one needs to continuously work for the people. This honest work requires patience, which is difficult in this world of instant gratification. There is also a space in people's hearts for such charismatic leaders as they are always looking for one. It seems like a messiah who can bring happiness in their times of sorrow. As their leader gives recognition to their identity, they believe they are enhanced in the leader as their own. Today, India relates to the charismatic personality of Prime Minister Modi. Prime Minister after two terms in power holds that charm amongst people. So, like Mahatma, if one day he fasts there will be many who will be concerned in the country. This is the connection that people feel with him. Be it death for his mother, be it his presence in the international arena, his Mann ki Baat, many amongst us are walking with him.
With great power comes great responsibility. For those who want to stay in power, consistent efforts in nation-building play an important part in winning the hearts of people. Our political hero is based not only on their politics but also on their emotional charm. However, this charm can be manufactured and the public may never know the truth. In this age of social media, it is difficult to distinguish between fact and fake. There was a time when this charisma brought freedom to our nation. But today, it is bad for our democracy. This takes away our sense of right and wrong, and we don't hold them responsible for their actions. We become enchanted followers. This system corrupts our lives, mind, and body, and takes away our rationality. As a democracy moves into its mature stage, the idea of waiting for Mahatma is disappointing. As, we are not taking up logical critiques or challenging the system, but waiting for a charismatic hero to do that for us. Max Weber said, In a democracy, the people chose a leader whom they trust. Then the chosen leader says, ‘Now shut up and obey me.' People and parties are then no longer free to interfere in his business. And later to justify their choice, people hide in the shadow of this charisma.
Amongst many values that Gandhi taught us, one is to always adhere to the truth in the toughest circumstances. Standing by truth may be hard and not rewarding, but it is our highest dharma. Rather than searching for Mahatma, we all must become Mahatma in this political journey. Not Gandhi, but Gandhian value is our lighthouse. In these times, our democracy must evolve. We have to be our own conscience keeper and walk for India which is not a poster child of few, but a representation of all of us.
(The writer is a visiting Researcher at International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), Bangladesh. The views expressed are personal)
