World of Philosophy

SR No.: 007005
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 1002
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

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As in the previous two studies, he has selected these cities for their many similarities in order to isolate the role of civil scciety as much as possible. Both Ahmedabad and Surat have been in the same state (Gujarat) and subject to Gujarati state politics since the establishment of the state by the British about 200 years ago. The cities are but 158 miles apart. Both have been about 12-15% Muslim since India's independence. However, since 1969, Surat has remained largely peaceful while Ahmedabad has suffered from chronic violence. Particularly intriguing to Varshney is the fact that the frequency of violence in Ahmedabad has changed over time. From the 1920 to 1969, Ahmedabad was mostly peaceful. After 1969, Ahmedabad has become one of India's most riot-prone cities. The great riot of 1969, in which 630 people died, was among the worst riots in India between 1950 and 1995. Surat, in contrast, was peaceful until the 1992-1993 riots accompanying the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque. In 1969, when much of Gujarat suffered rioting, Surat remained tense, but untouched by the violence. Ahmedabad was not exempt from the riots of 1985-1986 that broke out in much of Gujarat. In these riots, inter-communal violence followed inter-caste violence. Surat, in contrast, suffered only inter-caste rioting. The inter-communal peace in Surat finally failed in 1992-1993. How is this to be explained? Varshney's data show that there has been a gradual decline in inter-communal civil society in both cities. The decline happened some time ago in Ahmedabad and more recently in Surat.
Understanding this decay of civil society requires an historical perspective on the work of Gandhi in Gujarat. Gujarat was Gandhi's home state and Ahmedabad his adopted city between 1915, when he returned to India from South Africa, and 1930, when he embarked on the salt march. Gandhi eventually established his ashram in Gujarat just outside Ahmedabad. Of course, Gandhi worked diligently to promote the political aims of Congress in Gujarat and elsewhere. In addition, he organized numerous voluntary organizations of a social, economic and political nature, leaving a legacy of social service and communal harmony in the state.
According to Varshney's data, however, after 1969 there was a gradual loss of Gandhi's heritage in Ahmedabad, but not in Surat. This can be seen not only in the decline of Congress after the passing of the pre-independence generation, but also in the gradual weakening of the local civic organizations in Ahmedabad. Varshney's assessment is pessimistic.
Between 1920 and 1969, Ahmedabad took pride in the Gandhian values of peace and non-violence. Over the past three decades, a metamorphosis has taken place. Violence, bigotry and crime have taken over. A few Gandhian organizations are still fighting a dour battle for civic sanity and calm, but their attempts, though valiant, have not been able to reclaim Ahmedabad's lost civic heritage. The city's Gandhian soul has all but vanished.
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