Gandhi and Harijan

September - October - 2014 Odisha Review
Gandhi and Harijan
Souribandhu Kar
Mahatma Gandhi, this name itself signifies Gandhi took over the helm, many were content
reverence among lakhs and lakhs of people of to fall in line and nod to whatever he said and
the world. He is known as the crusader for hardly thought it necessary to do their own
peoples’ freedom in India and South Africa. thinking.”
Professionally a barrister he turned to become a Gandhi became the invincible leader in
social reformer, a prolific writer, a great journalist, the nationalist struggle against the British because
champion of non-violent movement called of his understanding of the people and identifying
satyagraha and the leading light in the cause of himself with the common man. Even Subhash
India’s freedom struggle against the mighty British Chandra Bose, who opposed Gandhi and
imperialism. Gandhi was a great communicator Gandhism commented as follows.
and he used this skill very effectively through his
writings both in newspapers, letters, speeches and “… When the Mahatma speaks, he does
even in prayer meetings. He has contributed large so in a language that (the people) comprehend,
number of articles through two weeklies i.e. Indian not in the language of Herbert Spencer and
Opinion (South Africa) and Young India (India) Edmund Burke, as for instance, Sir Surendra Nath
edited by him and also in Navajivan and Harijan. Banarjee would have done, but in that of the
But we find his views were inconsistent at different Bhagvad Gita and the Ramayana. When he talks
times because he reacted differently. He himself to them about Swaraj, he does not dilate on the
admitted this saying : virtues of provincial autonomy or federation, he
reminds them of the glories of Ramarajya (the
“at times of writing I never think what I kingdom of the mythical king Rama) and they
have said before. My aim is not be consistent with understand. And he talks of conquering through
my precious statements on a given question, but love and Ahimsa (non violence), they are reminded
to be consistent with my previous statement on a of Buddha and Mahavir and they accept him.”
given question, but to be consistent with truth as
it may present itself to me at a given movement. Gandhi understood the evil of
The result has been that I have grown from truth untouchability and to eradicate that from the Indian
to truth. I have saved memory from an undue Society, he started an organisation called All India
strain.” Looking to this statement, perhaps Harijan Sevak Sangh. The work of Harijan Sevak
Dr. Rajendra Prasad rightly admitted that “when Sangh was two-fold. One was the constructive
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Odisha Review September - October - 2014
work and the other was propaganda. The aim of Talking about Harijan Gandhi argued,
the Sangh was to educate the caste Hindus in “Harijan is not my weekly. So far as the proprietary
favour of the complete removal of the rights are concerned, it belongs to the servants of
untouchability. The constructive programme untouchables society and therefore I would like
included education of Harijan Children, Vocational him (Ambedkar) to feel that it is as much his as of
Training, Welfare Work, Housing, Temple Entry, any Hindus.”
Common Drinking Water Supply Facility etc. and
the propaganda was for holding meetings for Gandhi, in Harijan has discussed many
bringing together caste Hindus and Harijans on issues confronting the nationalist movement. He
one platform, organising Harijan Days, discussed subject like nation, nationalism and
Procession, Demonstrations, Publication of national identity, the communal question, the future
books and periodicals etc. state etc. which are relevant even today. Even he
has his views on the Constituent Assembly in the
This is the reason for which he had started
‘Harijan’ weekly as the mouthpiece of the servants Harijan which is a unique document. Even his
of untouchables society. R.N. Shastri was a biographer, Tendulkar describes his numerous
Poona-based social worker and a freedom articles in Harijan as the instrument of instructions
fighter actively associated with the activities of the to Congress.
servants of untouchables society. When Gandhi After Independence, Gandhi wrote in the
started non-cooperation movement in 1920-22, Harijan. “India is now free. Now that the burden
he was drawn to Gandhi and believed in his of subjection has been lifted, all the forces if good
ideology. He look the initiative in the publication have to be marshalled in one great effort to build
of the Harijan on the advice of Gandhi. a country which forsakes the accustomed method
The weekly came out in 1933 and served of violence in order to settle human conflicts,
a great purpose of defending The Poona Pact whether it is between two sections of the same
coming out of The Communal Award 1932. people.”
Gandhi formed the leadership of the Congress to
accept The Poona Pact. The British Government Gandhi went on writing for the Harijan
with the policy of “Divide and Rule” clearly found upto the last day of his life i.e. January 30, 1948.
another expression in the Award. The Award After his demise C. Rajagopalchari, the Governor
provided for the Government’s recognition to General of India announced in the journal,
minority communities including the depressed “Harijan was Bapu’s voice. And when his body
classes for separate electorate. The effort to has been consigned to the elements, Harijan canot
separate the depressed classes from the rest of go on”.
the Hindus by treating them as a separate political
entity was opposed by all the nationalists.
Gandhi went on fast and ultimately The
Poona Pact was signed. Gandhi broke his fast on
26 th September 1932. On resuming the
publication of "Young India" Gandhi named the
untouchables as Harijan. The word means a man Souribandhu Kar, Plot No.5012/5853, Gajapatinagar,
of God. Bhubaneswar-751005.
58

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September - October - 2014 Odisha Review

Gandhi and Harijan

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