Gandhi.docx

‘One, who seeks Justice, will have to do Justice to others’ - Mahatma Gandhi in Hind Swaraj Of all leaders that I have known or have read about, Mahatma Gandhi has inspired me the most. ‘Lead by Example’ is a dictum epitomised by Gandhi to perfection. It was under his dynamic and yet restrained leadership that India attained independence from the colonial rule. More than that, his leadership style, thoughts and value system left behind a school of thought that was recognised and respected all over the world. Gandhi’s personality and actions is representative of more than one leadership style, with one style taking precedence over the other depending on the call of the hour and on basic pragmatic concerns. Literature relating to his ‘Strategy’ and ‘Tactics’ and his ‘leadership qualities’ is replete with examples of his realism and his dexterity at adapting to situations, without compromising on his basic value system. It was Gandhi, who transformed the national movement against the British rule into a mass movement. It would be an oversimplification to state that the support from the different sections of the society can be attributed to Gandhi’s charismatic leadership alone; though there is no denying the fact that Gandhi’s charisma was unmatched and unparalleled not only in terms of his oratory or his capability of making a connect with the people, but also in terms of his simplicity of lifestyle and honesty of thoughts. Gandhi’s Satygraha ( literally translated as ‘pursuit of Truth’), actually came to mean a non-violent resistance to oppression. The resolve and conviction with which Gandhi pursued this avowed notion of his, added to his charisma; so much so that even to the Illiterate and to those sections of the society which were cut-off from the mainstream, Gandhi appealed not only as a reformer , but as an absolute redeemer. Even while negotiating with the British on various matters, Gandhi’s charismatic leadership stood out as something insurmountable by the British. Gandhi’s charisma and firmness at the Round Table Conferences, where he refused to bow down to the terms and conditions, bears testimony to this.

Gandhi’s appeal to the communities for opposing the British during the Khilafat Movement reflected his grasp of the Indian realities. He could very well understand that religious consciousness was a reality in India and that the primacy of religious identities could be used as a rallying point against a common enemy, the British Rule. The very fact that the communities responded positively to his call for Non-cooperation and Khilafat is representative of Gandhi’s charismatic leadership. Gandhi’s leadership was also paternalistic in many respects. He derived his stature of a benevolent patron by the firmness of his beliefs and actions. People saw an all embracing umbrella in Gandhi’s paternalistic approach, so much so that some of the sections of the society submitted themselves totally and unconditionally to Gandhi’s appeals, i.e. even without knowing what was in store or what was being aimed at. ‘ Ramrajya’, a mere utopian concept used by Gandhi was unquestionably interpreted differently in different quarters and support was assured. For a mass movement of the magnitude that it was, such support was a prerequisite not only as a show of strength before the colonial regime , but also as a show of resolve and conviction for transformation to a non- colonial dispensation by most sections of the society. There are a few more important instances, which speak of Gandhi’s paternalistic leadership style. His opposition to Subhash Chandra Bose’s reelection as Congress President in the Harihara session of the Congress in 1938 typically denoted the ‘father knows the best attitude’. Similarly, his preference of Nehru over Sardar Patel as the Prime ministerial candidate for independent India is also indicative of a paternalistic leadership style. Another incident was calling off of the Non- cooperation movement after the massacre at Chauri- chaura. Since Violence had been resorted to, Gandhi had unilaterally called off the movement, disappointing many sections of the society, which by now were deeply involved in the movement. It has often been debated that can such a leadership style be branded as paternalistic or should it be regarded as authoritarian,

considering the fact that it did not represent the popular will. To me, such a style was more paternalistic than authoritarian as stemmed from a deep belief in his principles of non-violence and satyagraha, and noncooperation, which in turn reflected the harsh reality of the inability to put up a violent struggle against the British Rule. Lastly, but most importantly, no discussion on Gandhi’s leadership style will be complete without referring to his participative style. The entire National Movement under his leadership is a testimony to the various ways and means adopted by him for seeking participation of all sections of the society. The Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad Satyagrah/ Strike speak of his endeavour at seeking participation of the peasantry and the working class. Gandhi also made an appeal to the women, asking them to boycott British goods and to participate in the National Movement. Women participated in huge numbers even in the Quit India Movement and it is a fact that it was the universal appeal of Mahatma Gandhi that transformed the national movement into a participative mass movement. He appealed not only to the poor and the downtrodden, but also had the Industrialists and the Zamindars on board, thus providing the broadest possible base for the movement. In totality, it can be said that Gandhi’s leadership styles evolved with time and also responded to the realistic needs of the hour. Instead of wilfully resorting to any pre-determined leadership style, he relied on all methods of persuasion towards attaining the final goal of Independence. But what stood to his advantage all through was his style of leading by example. His simple life style, attitude towards the untouchables, insistence on cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene are few examples of Gandhi trying to lead by example. And what makes him stand taller as a leader was his resolute adherence to the principles of non- violence and fearless pursuit of truth .