Today 2nd October,2020 the country celebrates the 151th Birth Anniversary of the "Father of the Nation" Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also widely known as Mahatma (Great Soul) Gandhi.
Born on 2nd October,1869 in Porbandar,Gujarat(Bombay Presidency at that time), Gandhiji would go on to become a lawyer and practice in South Africa and on his return to India would go on to become the symbol of non violence and truth in India's struggle to freedom from the British Empire.
He assumed the leadership of Indian National Congress in 1921 and led Nationwide Campaigns for easing poverty,expanding women rights,building religious amity, abolishing and ending untouchability and achieving Swaraj(Self Rule).
The Same Year in 1921 he adopted wearing of loincloth or short dhoti, and a shawl in winter. He was often seen with a traditional Indian spinning wheel called Chakra symbolising with India's rural poor. He would then go on to live a modest live, eat simple vegetarian food,undertook long fasts as a sign of protest in non violent ways.
On 12th March,1930 He would go on the historic Dandi March,from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to protest against the tax and laws on Salt by the British. He along with his 79 trusted volunteers started the 384 kilometer journey to reach Dandi(earlier called Navsari).The Journey would come to and end on 6 April 1930 when Gandhiji broke the salt laws on 6:30 am on the morning thus sparking widescale acts of Civil Disobedience.
 |
| Gandhiji alongside his volunteers during the Dandi March |
He also had a major hand in the Quit India Movement in 1942.Gandhiji was arrested several times during his lifetime. His dream of Free India came true on 15th August,1947 when India achieved Independence from British Rule.
Despite have millions of supporters, there were some who were against him.His decision to have a partition of India into India and Pakistan saw people go mad at him. Among them was one Named Nathuram Godse who shot him three times in the chest on 30th January,1948 killing him in the process.
In 2007, The United Nations decided to honour 2nd October, his birthday as International Day Of Non-Violence. WE at the SU-NITI NEWS honour his legacy and pay our tributes to his life.
0 Comments