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Mahatma Gandhi And The Nationalist Movement

Question
CBSEENHS12028204

‘Many scholars have written of the months after Indian independence as being Gandhiji’s ‘‘finest hours’’.’ Explain.

Solution

Gandhiji’s finest hours:

(i) Mahatma Gandhi was not present at the festivities in the capital on 15 August 1947. He was in Calcutta, but he did not attend any function or hoist a flag there.

(ii) He “appealed to the Sikhs, the Hindus and the Muslims to forget the past and not to dwell on their on their sufferings but to extend the right hand of fellowship to each other, and to determine to live in peace”.

(iii) At the initiative of Gandhi, India remained a democratic secular State where all citizens enjoy full rights and are equally entitled to the protection of the state, irrespective of the religion to which they belong.

(iv) After working to bring peace to Bengal, Gandhi shifted to move on to the riot-torn districts of Punjab.

(v) He was equally concerned with the sufferings of the minority community in Pakistan.

(vi) He trusted that “the worst is over” that Indians would henceforth work collectively for the “equality of all classes and creeds, never the domination and superiority of the major community over a minor, however insignificant it may be in numbers or influence”.

(vii) Gandhi had fought a lifelong battle for a free and United India.

(viii) When the country was divided, he urged that the two parts respect and befriend one another.