THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Mahatma Gandhi is worshiped like a god in India. Schools teach that he won independence through non-violence and loved all Indians equally. This story is incomplete and dishonest.
But did Gandhi Win Independence?
The British did not leave India because of Gandhi’s peaceful protests. They left because they were losing control. After World War II, Britain was broke and exhausted. More importantly, Indian soldiers were turning against them. Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army showed that Indians would fight back. The Royal Indian Navy mutiny in 1946 terrified the British – their own military forces were rebelling. British Prime Minister Attlee later admitted that Gandhi’s Quit India movement had “minimal” effect on their decision to leave.
Gandhi actually delayed independence. For years, he only wanted “Dominion Status” – remaining under British rule with limited self-governance. He repeatedly called off protests just when they became threatening to the British. After violence erupted, Gandhi would stop the movement, giving the British time to recover control.
Some historians argue he acted more like a British ally than a freedom fighter.
Gandhi’s Love for the British Empire
Gandhi’s pacifism was selective and contradictory. In 1918, this supposed man of non-violence traveled village to village, beating a drum, recruiting Indians to fight for the British army in World War I. He organized medical corps for the British during the Boer War and Zulu Rebellion. He openly praised the British Empire and believed it could be a force for good.
Gandhi opposed building a strong military for independent India. If India had followed his advice, China or Pakistan would likely control large parts of the country today. His extreme pacifism was dangerously impractical.
Gandhi and the Dalits: Slavery with a Smile
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar told Gandhi: One class cannot rule over another class, just as one country cannot rule over another country.
Gandhi ignored this wisdom. He represented upper-caste interests and wanted power to transfer from the British to upper-caste Hindus, not to all Indians.
Gandhi’s treatment of Dalits (untouchables) was patronizing and harmful. He renamed them “Harijans” (children of God) without asking their opinion. He promoted symbolic gestures like temple entry and upper-castes eating with Dalits. But he did nothing to give them real economic or political power.
Most damaging, Gandhi wanted Dalits to remain within the caste system. He supported removing untouchability but keeping the varna system intact. This meant Dalits would continue doing the same degrading work – scavenging, cleaning human waste, leather work – just with nicer words from upper castes. No land ownership. No real education. No political independence. Still slaves, just treated with false “kindness.”
In 1932, Ambedkar negotiated separate electorates for Dalits – real political power independent of upper-caste voters. Gandhi fasted unto death to stop this. He forced Ambedkar to accept a compromise that left Dalits dependent on upper-caste Hindu voters. Gandhi actively prevented Dalits from gaining political power.
Other Failures
Gandhi opposed birth control in a country with massive population growth. He romanticized poverty while being financed by wealthy industrialists like Birla. His economic ideas about village self-sufficiency and rejection of industrialization would have kept India desperately poor. Fortunately, Nehru ignored these prescriptions.
Gandhi probably would have been dismissed as a crank if born in another country. His success had more to do with India’s specific circumstances and the need for founding mythology than the effectiveness of his ideas.
Conclusion
India did not benefit from Gandhi’s continued influence. His assassination was a human tragedy, but honest history requires acknowledging his failures. He delayed independence, opposed practical defense policy, blocked Dalit empowerment, and promoted unworkable economic ideas.
The excessive worship of Gandhi prevents Indians from honestly examining their history. Hero worship is comfortable. Truth is harder. India deserves the truth about the man who claimed to be its father but often acted like its obstacle.
References
1. Jad Adams: Naked Ambition
2.Joseph Lelyveld’s Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India.
3. GB Singh: Gandhi: Unmasked
4. BR Ambedkar: Gandhi and Gandhism
5Patrick French: Liberty or Death
6. Ashington Desai & Goolam Vahed:
South African Gandhi: Stretch-bearer of empire
7. Ramchandra Guha: Gandhi 1914-1948
