Tripti Nath/New Delhi
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval described Mahatma Gandhi as a great strategian and warrior and remarked that Gandhi’s way of resistance is the lone example in the world where in asymmetric warfare, the soft power has been able to dominate the hard power and vanquish it as well.
He was speaking at the launch of M.J. Akbar's book, “Gandhi: A Life in Three Campaigns’ in New Delhi on Friday.
Doval remarked that Gandhi was ahead of his times.
Offering a fresh perspective on the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Doval said that he was not against the use of hard power against the British in India’s freedom struggle. “He may not have supported those using hard power but he also didn’t oppose them. Maybe he was against their ways but he did not speak or stand against the revolutionaries.’’
He said Gandhi's struggle was happening at a time when the British had brute power and there there was a man with no resources. He understood if he could mobilize soul power and make it an instrument and weaponize his soft power of that time, a mighty power may not be the only effective side.
The NSA said that Gandhi could very well understand his tools against the brute force of the British. “Gandhi was good in realizing that his moral force, the force of India’s culture, civilization, and values could defeat the brute power of the Britishers.’’
Doval said that looking back at the Father of Nation’s style, one thinks that a book “My Experiments with Soft Power” could be written.
Explaining the dichotomy of soft and brute power, the NSA said after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the world became unipolar and a new theory emerged that the U.S. could remain afloat as a power only based on its soft power while new bodies of powers will also emerge.
Praising M.J. Akbar’s book, Doval said that the author has looked at the life of Mahatma Gandhi; compulsions and the complexities of his life, and how people think of him and his beliefs. He described Akbar's book as riveting and said that it gives readers plenty of food for thought. “ He has got a unique style. It comes so straight with a simple logic. It is so convincing.’’
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan who was the Chief Guest described Akbar’s book as a work of profound scholarship and exhaustive survey of Gandhi ji’s thoughts and his unique strategy to translate the thoughts into action covering three major campaigns of his life. “The book is an in-depth inquiry of his saintly or I should say mythical personality of naked fakir whom we fondly call Mahatma who dismantled the mightiest empire in world history. It is my earnest hope and desire that the book will be read widely and will help readers understand the flow of events.’’
Khan said that a recent book calls Gandhi ji arguably the greatest public relations icon of all times and the Dandi March as the most well planned campaign of all times. He also drew attention to the extraordinary obituary for Mahatma Gandhi by the London Times.
Referring to comments that perhaps Gandhi is being forgotten by the younger generation, Union Minister and veteran diplomat, Hardeep Singh Puri said, “I would say that there are still aspects to Gandhi which need to be understood and understood in perspective. I think that MJ’s attempt to look at Gandhi through these three campaigns is also a spotlight on the evolving Gandhi. I was once put in place. I
Puri said that he was reminded by his South African diplomat friend that Gandhi does not belong to India alone. “I must say that Gandhi does not just belong to us but we are doing much more to reclaim and to focus on Gandhian central messages. And for that, I salute a lot of people.’’
He recalled how Gandhi ji went around what was then Kashi in 1916 and his remarks about the filth there deeply affected people then. "He was disturbed by the filth in the city and in the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple. It was this observation that took the shape of a clarion call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 from the ramparts of Red Fort when he said that the greatest tribute we can pay to the Father of the Nation is make India 'open defecation free' by the time we celebrate his 150th birth anniversary.''
He said that Gandhi knew the reality of India and was the one man who understood that India needed transformation.
Noted Gandhian and former Editor of Jansatta, Ram Bahadur Rai said that the new generation is getting alienated from Gandhi and it will be our misfortune as also that of the country is that happens. He observed that Gandhi is an ideology. “This 242-page book describes in detail how Mahatma Gandhi dethroned the mightiest empire through his three big movements. This book can be read at many levels. It helps you understand not just Gandhi’s personality but also understand many other aspects including the sequence of events and those involved in the freedom movement. Like the sky has no limit Gandhi has no limit. ''
He added, "The new generation must understand Gandhi. Try to understand the Gandhian ideology. Gandhi ji’s dream was of Ram Swarajya. Today, Swarajya is a philosophical word and has cultural meaning. Gandhi was in in favour of Hindu-Muslim unity. Cultural unity was Gandhi’s dream.’’
The function was attended by many diplomats, serving and retired bureaucrats, political leaders, scholars, activists and journalists, ended with a joint release of the book by Nripendra Mishra, Executive Chairman of Prime Minister’s Museum and Library, T.V. Mohandass Pai, Chairman Aarin Capital Partners, and other speakers.
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