Freedom's Battle

Mahatma Gandhi

Description

Indian activist Mahatma Gandhi dedicated his life to fighting British imperialism in his native country. The essays collected in Freedom's Battle offer a detailed account of Gandhi's political ideals and the wrongs he regarded as inherent in imperial rule.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776535576
• Langue: English

Extrait

FREEDOM'S BATTLE
BEING A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF WRITINGS AND SPEECHES ON THE PRESENT SITUATION
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MAHATMA GANDHI
 
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Freedom's Battle Being a Comprehensive Collection of Writings and Speeches on the Present Situation First published in 1922 Epub ISBN 978-1-77653-557-6 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77653-558-3 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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I - Introduction II - The Khilafat III - The Punjab Wrongs IV - Swaraj V - Hindu Moslem Unity VI - Treatment of the Depressed Classes VII - Treatment of Indians Abroad VIII - Non-Co-Operation IX - Mahatma Gandhi's Statement Endnotes
I - Introduction
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After the great war it is difficult, to point out a single nation thatis happy; but this has come out of the war, that there is not a singlenation outside India, that is not either free or striving to be free.
It is said that we, too, are on the road to freedom, that it is betterto be on the certain though slow course of gradual unfoldment of freedomthan to take the troubled and dangerous path of revolution whetherpeaceful or violent, and that the new Reforms are a half-way houseto freedom.
The new constitution granted to India keeps all the military forces,both in the direction and in the financial control, entirely outside thescope of responsibility to the people of India. What does this mean? Itmeans that the revenues of India are spent away on what the nation doesnot want. But after the mid-Eastern complications and the fresh Asiaticadditions to British Imperial spheres of action. This Indian militaryservitude is a clear danger to national interests.
The new constitution gives no scope for retrenchment and therefore noscope for measures of social reform except by fresh taxation, the heavyburden of which on the poor will outweigh all the advantages of anyreforms. It maintains all the existing foreign services, and the cost ofthe administrative machinery high as it already is, is furtherincreased.
The reformed constitution keeps all the fundamental liberties of person,property, press, and association completely under bureaucratic control.All those laws which give to the irresponsible officers of the ExecutiveGovernment of India absolute powers to override the popular will, arestill unrepealed. In spite of the tragic price paid in the Punjab fordemonstrating the danger of unrestrained power in the hands of a foreignbureaucracy and the inhumanity of spirit by which tyranny in a panicwill seek to save itself, we stand just where we were before, at themercy of the Executive in respect of all our fundamental liberties.
Not only is Despotism intact in the Law, but unparalleled crimes andcruelties against the people have been encouraged and even afterboastful admissions and clearest proofs, left unpunished. The spirit ofunrepentant cruelty has thus been allowed to permeate the wholeadministration.
THE MUSSALMAN AGONY
To understand our present condition it is not enough to realise thegeneral political servitude. We should add to it the reality and theextent of the injury inflicted by Britain on Islam, and thereby on theMussalmans of India. The articles of Islamic faith which it is necessaryto understand in order to realise why Mussalman India, which was once soloyal is now so strongly moved to the contrary are easily set out andunderstood. Every religion should be interpreted by the professors ofthat religion. The sentiments and religious ideas of Muslims founded onthe traditions of long generations cannot be altered now by logic orcosmopolitanism, as others understand it. Such an attempt is the moreunreasonable when it is made not even as a bonafide and independenteffort of proselytising logic or reason, but only to justify a treatyentered into for political and worldly purposes.
The Khalifa is the authority that is entrusted with the duty ofdefending Islam. He is the successor to Muhammad and the agent of God onearth. According to Islamic tradition he must possess sufficienttemporal power effectively to protect Islam against non-Islamic powersand he should be one elected or accepted by the Mussalman world.
The Jazirat-ul-Arab is the area bounded by the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea,the Persian Gulf, and the waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates. It isthe sacred Home of Islam and the centre towards which Islam throughoutthe world turns in prayer. According to the religious injunctions of theMussalmans, this entire area should always be under Muslim control, itsscientific border being believed to be a protection for the integrity ofIslamic life and faith. Every Mussalman throughout the world is enjoinedto sacrifice his all, if necessary, for preserving the Jazirat-ul-Arabunder complete Muslim control.
The sacred places of Islam should be in the possession of the Khalifa.They should not merely be free for the entry of the Mussalmans of theworld by the grace or the license of non-Muslim powers, but should bethe possession and property of Islam in the fullest degree.
It is a religions obligation, on every Mussalman to go forth and helpthe Khalifa in every possible way where his unaided efforts in thedefence of the Khilifat have failed.
The grievance of the Indian Mussalmans is that a government thatpretends to protect and spread peace and happiness among them has noright to ignore or set aside these articles of their cherished faith.
According to the Peace Treaty imposed on the nominal Government atConstantinople, the Khalifa far from having the temporal authority orpower needed to protect Islam, is a prisoner in his own city. He is tohave no real fighting force, army or navy, and the financial controlover his own territories is vested in other Governments. His capital iscut off from the rest of his possessions by an intervening permanentmilitary occupation. It is needless to say that under these conditionshe is absolutely incapable of protecting Islam as the Mussulmans of theworld understand it.
The Jazirat-ul-Arab is split up; a great part of it given to powerfulnon-Muslim Powers, the remnant left with petty chiefs dominated allround by non-Muslim Governments.
The Holy places of Islam are all taken out of the Khalifa's kingdom,some left in the possession of minor Muslim chiefs of Arabia entirelydependent on European control, and some relegated to newly-formednon-Muslim states.
In a word, the Mussalman's free choice of a Khalifa such as Islamictradition defines is made an unreality.
THE HINDU DHARMA
The age of misunderstanding and mutual warfare among religions is gone.If India has a mission of its own to the world, it is to establish theunity and the truth of all religions. This unity is established bymutual help and understanding between the various religions. It has comeas a rare privilege to the Hindus in the fulfilment of this mission ofIndia to stand up in defence of Islam against the onslaught of theearth-greed of the military powers of the west.
The Dharma of Hinduism in this respect is placed beyond all doubt by theBhagavat Gita.
Those who are the votaries of other Gods and worship them withfaith—even they, O Kaunteya, worship me alone, though not as theShastra requires—IX, 23.
Whoever being devoted wishes in perfect faith to worship a particularform, of such a one I maintain the same faith unshaken,—VII 21.
Hinduism will realise its fullest beauty when in the fulfilment of thiscardinal tenet, its followers offer themselves as sacrifice for theprotection of the faith of their brothers, the Mussalmans.
If Hindus and Mussalmans attain the height of courage and sacrifice thatis needed for this battle on behalf of Islam against the greed of theWest, a victory will be won not alone for Islam, but for Christianityitself. Militarism has robbed the crucified God of his name and his verycross and the World has been mistaking it to be Christianity. After thebattle of Islam is won, Islam and Hinduism together can emancipateChristianity itself from the lust for power and wealth which havestrangled it now and the true Christianity of the Gospels will beestablished. This battle of non-cooperation with its suffering andpeaceful withdrawal of service will once for all establish itssuperiority over the power of brute force and unlimited slaughter.
What a glorious privilege it is to play our part in this history of theworld, when Hinduism and Christianity will unite on behalf of Islam, andin that strife of mutual love and support each religion will attain itsown truest shape and beauty.
AN ENDURING TREATY
Swaraj for India has two great problems, one internal and the otherexternal. How can Hindus and Mussalmans so different from each otherform a strong and united nation governing themselves peacefully? Thiswas the question for years, and no one could believe that the twocommunities could suffer for each other till the miracle was actuallyworked. The Khilafat has solved the problem. By the magic of suffering,each has truly touched and captured the other's heart, and the Nationnow is strong and united.
Not internal strength and unity alone has the Khilafat brought to India.The great block in the way of Indian aspiration for full freedom wasthe problem of external defence. How is India, left to herself defendher frontiers against her Mussalman neighbours? None but emasculatednations would accept such difficulties and responsibilities as an answerto the demand for freedom. It is only a people whose mentality has beenperverted that can soot