ABSTRACT
Just like an old person finds hope and support in cane, Gandhiji also places his ultimate credence in the youth of the country to realise his aspirations for the country. In Gandhiji's belief, the youth of the country is as important an asset of the country as any other natural or economic resource, but their full potential may only be realised when they are shown right direction and when they imbibe right values in order to do what is good for their country and humanity at large. Besides, it is youth which has the required rigour and capacity to comply with his ideas through new initiatives and endeavours. Hence, first, inculcating Gandhian values in youth and then extending them to others will help to perpetuate his ideas in their letter and spirit.
KEYWORDS
Youth, Truth, Sarvodaya, Satyagraha, Ahimsa
“My hope lies in the youth of the country....”
(Young India 9-7-1928)
What else can express better, the role that can be played by the youth of India in the future endeavours of India. Being caught in midst of chaos, conflicts and an endless pursuit of power, wealth and fame that deprives individual of inner peace, the younger generation need to be enlightened with Gandhian ideas so that they can comply with them at individual level as well as at level of society. This becomes even more important when India has a demographic dividend at hand which shall peak around 2041. (Economic Survey 2018-19) In order to ensure, that we reap its benefits through economic growth in a sustainable manner that actually leads to the development of society and the country, and not merely materialistic growth in terms of wealth, Gandhian ideals are the need of the hour for the youth.
Youth and the role of Youth in society
Youth is the stage of life starting at the beginning of adolescence till the middle age when one's body is relatively active and more productive. The United Nations defines 'youth' as the stage of life from 15 years of age till 24 years of age. This definition can be contested but what matters more is the role played by youth in the society. A society is comprised of individuals who can be in any stage of life: childhood, youth and old age. Out of all these stages, it is this period of youth which is most productive due to the presence of a certain physical as well as mental vigour, which may not be present in a child or a senior citizen. As a result, it has the most impact on an individuals' life and even on society at large. There have been various instances when action by youth has transformed the society, whether it be the action on climate change where youth activists like Greta Thunberg have led the way, or be it in terms of demanding liberty, equality, gender rights, human rights or even playing role in national freedom struggle. What makes today's youth more qualified for this task is that they are equipped with the most effective tool in today’s world- technology- and specifically 'information technology', through which they can shape new narratives and question existing narratives while reaching out to the world. Hence, it is important that the youth inculcate and try to carry forward Gandhian ideas.
Gandhi's ideas
There are various eternal ideas delineated by Gandhi ji such as: -
Satyagraha or "pleading for truth", is a special form of passive resistance used by Gandhi ji during the national freedom struggle and also during his earlier struggles against racism in South Africa. For Gandhi, satyagraha went far beyond mere "passive resistance" and became strength in the practice of nonviolent methods.
Truth and Non-violence are two pillars of Gandhi's satyagraha. Devotion to truth is the only justification for our existence. Truth or ‘satya’ should be the pivot of all our activities and lives. Nothing more is left for the man who has come to know this truth in its fullness, because all knowledge is necessarily contained in it. Once we learn to apply this never-failing test of truth, we will be able to find out immediately what is worth doing, what is worth seeing, what is worth reading.
Nonviolence is the practice of not harming others under any circumstances. According to Jaina Philosophy, harming people, animals and the environment is not required to achieve a result. Often credited as the founder of the nonviolent movement, Mahatma Gandhi spread the concept of ‘ahimsa’ through his movements and writings, which then inspired other nonviolent activists.
He also proposed his idea of welfare of people in form of ‘Sarvodaya’ after being influenced by Ruskin’s ‘Unto This Last’ (antyodaya) . It is based on a healthy give and take between the individual and society; where each contributes to the moral, spiritual, economic and social advancement, prosperity and happiness of the other. Viewed from all angles, this concept, in contrast to the modern Western concept, embraced the field of social care in its entirety.
Gandhiji had something different to offer whether it be his idea of respecting nature, criticising western modernity, the society as an oceanic circle with the individual at the centre, or peaceful means of passive resistance. (Kundu, 2022)
Gandhi’s idea on youth and his message
Gandhi’s ideas on youth may be found in his various speeches and works. Various editions of Young India which was found by Lala Lajpat Rai and then published by Gandhi ji from 1919 to 1931, have given an essence of Gandhi’s ideas onyouth, his beliefs and his advice for the youngsters. Gandhi realised importance of youth and wanted them to engage in a constructive manner. He appealed to youth to learn patience, non - violence and to avoid becoming part of extremist activities. He wrote in Young India:
"The temple of freedom requires the patient, intelligent and constructive effort of tens of thousands of men and women, young and old. Acts such as we are deploring, decidedly retard the progress of this quiet building. When it does nothing else, it diverts the attention of the countless builders.”
(Young India,27-12-1928)
In his book Hind Swaraj, he highlights the importance of ‘soul force’ against ‘brute force’ by telling how the fruits of soul force last long while the fruits of brute force fade away over passage of time.(Hind Swaraj,1921) He wanted them to observe ‘Ekadasha Vrat’ to develop discipline and give up habits like drinking alcohol. He wrote:
“My hope lies in the youth of the country. Such of them as are pray to the vice are not vicious by nature. They are helplessly and thoughtlessly drawn to it. They must understand too, that nothing but a rigorously disciplined life will save them and the country from utter ruin.”
(Young India,9-7-1925)
Moreover, he wanted youth to stay connected to its roots in villages and work at the ground level in villages "reconstruct their life and pass everyday of their vacation in the villages surrounding their colleges or high schools". (Young India) He asked the youth to experiment, but at the same time value the advices of the elders and old.
" I warn the youth of the country against always discounting whatever old men or women may say for the mere fact that it is said by such persons. Even as wisdom often comes from the mouth of babies so does it often come from the mouths of old people. The golden rule is to test everything in the light of reason and experience, no matter from where it comes."
(Harijan,28-3-1936)
He not only placed his faith in youth but also believed that youth’s diligent efforts shall help to achieve freedom and build strong foundations for the nation as long as they are guided by the motive of 'good for their country',
" It is helpful to have good young men coming forward for it is they alone who can venture to experiment. The members of these youth organisations will be able to achieve many great things, if they work with sincerity and with the sole intention of doing the right thing for their country.”
(Indian Opinion,28-4-1906)
There are a lot of challenges lying ahead youth in this path. First is that the education system has not been able to develop the values of truth, non-violence etc. which Gandhi holds dear to him. Rather, it has emphasised on making the youth a servant of the market and the western conception of modernity. Today's younger generation has become detached from its roots in villages and is unaware of the grassroots' problem and even if they are aware, they are rarely taught or supported in taking initiatives to solve those problems. On the name of modernity, there is a sheer disregard towards their own culture, language, and indigenous knowledge, which could have proved to be instrumental in the country's development. Instead of handicrafts, they are over occupied with technology which not only impacts their physical but also mental health. The mass media and the internet influence their thoughts and lead to the imprisonment of their young brains in the shackles of materialism and consumerism, which spread through globalisation across the globe. The increasing cases of drug abuse, sexual abuse, pornography etc. are testament to this.
This is not to disregard the importance of technology but the use of it to such an extent, which has a detrimental impact on human capabilities and the environment in the longer term, which is not desirable. This needs a special focus as, Gandhi opined, “there is enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed” and the pace at which today's materialistic and consumerist world is consuming resources is not sustainable and thus it is the younger generation which will have to bear the consequences. Moreover, the kind of chasms and divisions that have developed in today's society have been intensified by ever increasing intolerance and scepticism, which has had a very negative impact on the minds of youth because their impressionable mind quickly absorbs radical ideas and develops intolerance- which can be seen in the forms of mass shootings or gun shootings in the USA or in the participation of youth in terrorist and extremist activities. Hence, Gandhiji’s ideas need to be complied by the youth of the country urgently as various crises have embraced them from all directions.
How can Youth comply with Gandhi’s ideas?
The solutions must not be superficial but holistic. Beginning from education itself. Students need to be taught values like peace, non-violence, tolerance, Sarvodaya etc. through practical experiences. It is also important to emphasise the philosophical and practical urgency of Gandhiji’s thought and action and explore the significance of his concepts of truth and nonviolence to address moral, spiritual and ethical issues, growing intolerance, conflict and violence, poverty and hunger, and environmental crisis for the present world (Kumar,2020). For this groundwork needs to be done. School excursions to villages, cleanliness, awareness drive and community service should be made part of the curriculum.
It may help youngsters not only get a toll of the grassroots situation but also make an impact at the same level.
Besides, youth should be mindful of the use of technology and make sure that they remain the master of the same and not vice versa. Governments should also try to regulate the content in media without harming the freedom of expression.
As far as the environment is concerned it is difficult to change the unsustainable practices of the society at once, however, the youth may help to initiate change and not succumb to the existing practises. Moreover, the youth also need to be sensitised against any form of extremism, hatred and violence through courses in peace and conflict studies. The existing conflict situation throughout the world have testified that violence has never been able to give an enduring solution to any problem. Instead of arms, the youth should be given knowledge of handicrafts and crafts to engage them in productive works and make them self-sufficient.
All these steps are not new. They are easier said than done. It requires commitment from the youth and civil society to comply with and implement all of them for transformation of society as envisaged by Gandhiji. This is not to claim that this will lead to the establishment of Ramaraj / Khuda raj or the Kingdom of God on earth as Gandhiji believed, but the shift of concern from the self to the other through the cultivation of Satya, Ahimsa and Sarvodaya (well-being of all) will make the youth the backbone of Gandhian ideas. (Kundu & Sonavane, 2022)
Paper written by: Vaishnavi Agnihotri and Shakshi Kundu
Refrences:-
- Gandhi literature: Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi: Volumes 1 to 98: Gandhi Literature. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.gandhiashramsevagram.org/gandhi-literature/collected-works-of-mahatma-gandhi-volume-1-to-98.php
- Gandhi, M. K. (1921). Hind Swaraj.Ch-17 Passive Resistance
- Youth Participation - Welcome to the United Nations. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/youth/fact-sheets/youth-participation.pdf
- Kundu, S., & Sonavane, S. A. (2022, August 3). Gandhi taught us too well. ANTYODAYA. Retrieved September 27, 2022, from http://www.zakirhusaindelhicollege.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ANTYODAYA-VOL.-1-GSC.pdf.
- Kumar, S. (2020). Gandhi and the contemporary world. Routledge, Taylor et Francis Group.
- Kundu, S. (2022, April 20). Book review- Hind Swaraj. Adhyayan. Retrieved September 27, 2022, from https://gandhistudycircle.wordpress.com/2022/04/20/book-review-hind-swaraj/
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