________________
Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Several millions of people were affected. Many lost their lives, their homes, their property, and their neighbours. The multi-cultural story of India was severely disrupted in the mass-migration of peoples that followed. Even the partition of India did not solve the Hindu-Muslim tensions. Radical Pathan tribes invaded Kashmir, forcing India to take military steps to prevent loss.
All through his struggle in India, Gandhi was jailed several times. He used to read and write a lot during these sojourns. Similarly he observed series of fasts for self purification as well as for bringing the violent followers to stop their acts and stay with the principle of Satyagraha. He did achieve his worldly objective of freeing India from British rule. Radical Hindus, on the other hand, found Gandhi as being too accommodating to the Muslims. One of their members, Nathuram Godse, assassinated the Mahatma on January 30, 1948, in New Delhi. He had barely reached the podium to conduct his usual evening prayer meeting, when the fatal attack occurred.
Analysis Unlike his going to South Africa, Gandhi returned to India as a triumphant. He followed his experiments with Satyagraha in India but with greater enthusiasm, stricter discipline on himself as far as the definitions of his philosophical attributes, namely Truth, Ahimsa, Aparigraha, Brhmacharya, dietetic experiments including fasting, detailing eleven vows in Yerawada Mandir and writing a commentary, Gospel of Selfless action of The Gita. Besides fighting the British, his bigger problem was to develop harmony amongst Muslims, Hindu upper cast and Untouchable (Shudra) called as Harijan by him. Here we will try to build on his practice of Satyagraha and supporting spiritual values initially developed in South Africa and firmed up in India to gain freedom from the mighty British.
Gandhi & Jainism
Pg.91
