Discussing Gandhi

A day before me and one of my friend Rajiv were discussing the current political scene and our discussion somehow drifted to Gandhian policies in today's terms..here I am giving an excerpt of that conversation.

   rajiv :   achha Gandhi ji ke baare me tumahra kya khayal hai

              (what do u think of Gandhi??)

   me  :    a very shrewd politician.. and a capable leader..

              ye jaruri nahi ki main unke har doctrine se agree karun..

              (its not necessary that I support each and every of his

              doctrine.)

              but in that era Indian mass required a leader like him..

              he was the need and the result of that particular time..

              u cant disagree that even the worst enemies respected him..

              and they couldn't question his ethics...

              the worst they could do was to part their ways on political

              front...

              But that didn't deter them seek him as their political
              talisman..

              shayad bahut jyada bol diya?? (probably I have spoken too

              much??)

   rajiv :   nahi (no)
   me   :   isnt it??
   rajiv :   likhti jao (continue)

   me   :   yaar actually wat I feel.. we find it too easy to condemn

              Gandhi, Nehru, Patel..

               ki aisa nahi aisa hona chahiye tha..ya wo galat kar diya..

              (they did it wrong..)

   rajiv :   hmmm....

   me   :   but we seldom think of the situation at that particular time..

              the demands .. and the options..

   rajiv :   hmmm..

   me   :   esp when it comes to partition..

              very common view comes.. that they could have stopped

              it..  another comes : "what was the harm if it took a bit
              longer time..  say a year more.."

              But no one would like to discuss the options ..

              India was not just a piece of land..

   rajiv :   hmmm....

   me   :   it was for Indians that freedom was necessary..

              and it was the option of either now or never..

   rajiv  :  hmmm...

   me    :  moreover after the second world war..

              England was in no position to continue here..

              economically..

              and politically...

              it had to improve its image on the international front..

              the leaders were left with just two options..

   rajiv :   hmmm…

   me   :   either they should accept the complete Balkanization..

              or to accept the creation of Pakistan..

              obviously the latter option was more in our benefit..

              and  much better than the first one..

              and talking about that one option of continuing the

              struggle for one more year….so lets not forget the frequent

              communal riots occurring at that time..which clearly shows

              that neither the masses were ready for it..and considering
              the England's condition in the post World War scenario..
              even the Britisher's were not prepared for it…..

              But we don’t consider the events in the broader spectrum..

              and find it too easy to criticize them..

              and don’t forget thet it gives an impression of

              intellectualism..and readily provides an opportunity to prove

              that you are aware..you can think...

              huh! a sort of pseudopatriotism..

              and pseudo intellectualism..

              in my view..