"The little known dark side of Gandhi"

[dlonewolf85]

An interesting article that I read on this online magazine, so I thought I'll share it with you guys in UM. You can read about it by following the link given below:

http://www.sanskriti...side-of-gandhi/

Also, I'd like to know your thoughts on this rather controversial topic. Have a great day!

[SHaYap]

It was the 'cost' of the partition ~ a price that has to be paid ~ by all ~ Britannia , Hindu and Muslim ~ and I believe Gandhi's advice if heeded would have put the British and Pakistan on the front pages of pariah notables for as long as the History of the Nations is kept ~ but then again ~ more is just concerned on the short term blighted by short sightedness ...

[karmakazi]

I'm not sure why it's suggested this is a "dark side" of Ghandi as it is not out of character.

It reads to me as he is saying that religious differences should not be cause for killing each other, and if your "enemy" tries to kill you, turn the other cheek. It's literally the most pacifistic you could be.... not defending yourself.

[Hawken]

It seemed to me that Gandhi was attempting to get Hindus and Muslims to peacefully coexist.

By telling people to accept death because death is nothing to fear but a beginning of a new life.

[dlonewolf85]

I'm not sure why it's suggested this is a "dark side" of Ghandi as it is not out of character.

It reads to me as he is saying that religious differences should not be cause for killing each other, and if your "enemy" tries to kill you, turn the other cheek. It's literally the most pacifistic you could be.... not defending yourself.

It seemed to me that Gandhi was attempting to get Hindus and Muslims to peacefully coexist.

By telling people to accept death because death is nothing to fear but a beginning of a new life.

Both of you make good points. But the thing is, Gandhi was perceived very differently by some of the same people who struggled alongside him in the fight for Indian Independence. Many Indians at that time were against the partition of the country. Many people saw Gandhi as a sell-out. Many people thought that the Mahatma was in fact hijacking the Congress, making all the policies according to his own philosophies, and not doing what was necessary. Many Hindus and Muslims from both India and Pakistan were killed when the country got divided into a Hindu state (India) and a Muslim state (Pakistan). Many people lost their homes and their families when they were deported to another place when the border was created. The Muslims were happy that Pakistan was born, but then many people had to convert to Islam so that people could live in in peace in the new country called Pakistan. Many communal riots took place. Many people saw Gandhi as trying to please the Muslims at the sake of the Hindu lives. Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Gandhi, was in fact a follower and a supporter and a fellow freedom-fighter, before the partition. Allegedly, Gandhi was only asking the HIndus not to fight the Muslims, but he did nothing much to prevent the loss of Hindu lives.

This is not my view, I wasn't even born back then! But, apparently many people blamed Gandhi for a lot of bad stuff that happened in India during that time. Many people simply accepted Gandhi's ideals halfheartedly, but many opposed him as well. They didn't care about his philosophy any longer because they had already lost so much because of the Indo-Pak partition.

[Hawken]

Both of you make good points. But the thing is, Gandhi was perceived very differently by some of the same people who struggled alongside him in the fight for Indian Independence. Many Indians at that time were against the partition of the country. Many people saw Gandhi as a sell-out. Many people thought that the Mahatma was in fact hijacking the Congress, making all the policies according to his own philosophies, and not doing what was necessary. Many Hindus and Muslims from both India and Pakistan were killed when the country got divided into a Hindu state (India) and a Muslim state (Pakistan). Many people lost their homes and their families when they were deported to another place when the border was created. The Muslims were happy that Pakistan was born, but then many people had to convert to Islam so that people could live in in peace in the new country called Pakistan. Many communal riots took place. Many people saw Gandhi as trying to please the Muslims at the sake of the Hindu lives. Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Gandhi, was in fact a follower and a supporter and a fellow freedom-fighter, before the partition. Allegedly, Gandhi was only asking the HIndus not to fight the Muslims, but he did nothing much to prevent the loss of Hindu lives.

This is not my view, I wasn't even born back then! But, apparently many people blamed Gandhi for a lot of bad stuff that happened in India during that time. Many people simply accepted Gandhi's ideals halfheartedly, but many opposed him as well. They didn't care about his philosophy any longer because they had already lost so much because of the Indo-Pak partition.

I see where you're coming from. People all over the world die or get displaced over Ideologies.

[Border Collie]

Extraordinary ignorance and bigotry in the comments attached to the document quoted.