National Seminar on Remembering Mahatma Gandhi in the context of Indian Democracy

 Keynote Address by Dr.Siby K.Joseph on Gandhi's Vision of Democracy and Contemporary Challenges.

Dr.Siby K.Joseph Director of Library and Research Centre of Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan Wardha delivered the keynote address of National Seminar on Remembering Mahatma Gandhi in the context of Indian Democracy organized by Political Science section of Mahila Mahavidyalaya Banaras Hindu University on September 30 2024.The programme was sponsored by  Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy Cell(SRICC),BHU.The Programme began at 10 am lighting of the lamp and floral tribute by the dignitaries.Prof.Rita Singh Principal of Mahila Mahavidyalaya welcomed dignitaries and delegates from different parts of the country. 

A Souvenir containing the abstract of different thematic sessions was released on the ocassion. 

Prof.Satish Kumar President of Indian Society of Gandhian Studies  addressed the Seminar and gave his blessings.Dr.Siby K Joseph of Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan said it was great honor to address the gathering at BHU.It was here Gandhi made his first public address as part of University Extension Lectures organized from 5 to 8 February 1916.Not only that Ashadevi Aryanayakam a great educationist who substantially contributed to the development of Basic education Scheme of Mahatma Gandhi  was the first Principal of Mahila Mahavidyalaya of BHU .

He referred to Gandhi’s historical BHU speech where Gandhi referred to self government and raised the pertinent question How are we trying to govern ourselves?

Gandhi opined in his speech tha If we are to receive self government we shall have to take it".Gandhi in his seminal work Hind Swaraj was highly critical of western liberal democracy. He called  the British Parliament as a sterile woman and prostitute. It was not only limited to British Parliament alone  but to the very concept of representative democracy. Democracy according to Gandhi was great institution liable to be abused. But he was not talking of avoidance of it but reduction of possibility of abuse to the bare minimum. In his vision of swaraj he talked about both inner swaraj and outer swaraj. He talking about an enlightened anarchy in which the role of state is minimal and it is an ideal state of self rule.He was a pragmatist and he openly admitted in 1921 in his   new preface to Hind Swaraj his corporate activity was towards the attainment of Parliamentary Swaraj as people were not willing to accept and work towards his concept of inner swaraj. Gandhi advocated a decentralized and participatory form of democracy based on the traditional wisdom of India. He wanted to develop self sufficient and self reliant village communities  through his vision of village swaraj or Panchayat Raj where the fulcrum of power rested with the people. 

Referring to Ramin Jahanbegloo he said  Gandhi was one of the most significant and relevant non-Western theorist of democracy and described  the term used by him integral democracy. 

In his keynote address he unraveled Gandhi’s vision of democracy and contemporary challenges to democracy in India as well as other parts of the world. He succinctly analyzed the defects of liberal democracy with representative from of governance. It failed to ventilate the needs and aspirations of poor and marginalized sections of the society. 

He referred to contemporary challenges of Indian Democracy  and how people lost faith in democratic institutions. He emphasized the need independent judiciary ensuring rule of law, freedom of press and transparency in governance for a vibrant democracy. It is quite unfortunate that arbitrary authoritarian and fascist tendencies are taking deep roots in the largest democracy of the world. It is very much against the ethos and values of our freedom struggle. Violence and intolerance are growing day by day  and violence and democracy cannot go together. Our leaders under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi fought for an inclusive India but exclusive forces are gaining their in a deep manner and trying to destroy multicultural fabric of our country. 

Gandhi  through his various satyagraha struggles lay the foundation for a nonviolent democratic governance and united the country irrespective of their religious cultural and socio-economic identities. 

Gandhi took the Presidentship of Congress  in 1924 to bring unity among  pro changers and no changers and various religious communities . Though he resigned from the Congress he continued to guide and lead the Congress and its activities.