Indian critiques of Gandhi

296 Pages·2003·2 MB·English

by  Gandhi

Indian Critiques of Gandhi
SUNY series in Religious Studies
Harold Coward, editor
Indian Critiques of Gandhi
Edited by
Harold Coward
State University of New York Press
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2003 State University of New York
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Indian critiques of Gandhi/edited by Harold Coward.
p. cm. — (SUNY series in Religious Studies)
ISBN 0-7914-5909-8 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-5910-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Gandhi, Mahatma, 1869–1948—Political and social views. 2. India—
History—Autonomy and independence movements. 3. India—Politics and
Government—1919–1947. 4. Series.
DS481.G3153 2003
954.03'5'092—dc22
2003059082
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Harold Coward
Introduction 1
Harold Coward
Part I. Critiques of Gandhi by Individuals
1. The Convergence of Distinct Worlds: Nehru and Gandhi 19
Robert D. Baird
2. Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Untouchability 41
Harold Coward
3. Of Many Mahatmas: Besant, Gandhi, and Indian Nationalism 67
Joy Dixon
4. Sri Aurobindo’s Dismissal of Gandhi and His Nonviolence 87
Robert N. Minor
5. Tagore and Gandhi 107
T. S. Rukmani
Part II. Critiques of Gandhi by Groups
6. The Hindu Mahasabha and Gandhi 131
Ronald Neufeldt
7. Gandhi and the Christian Community 153
Timothy Gorringe
v
vi CONTENTS
8. The Mahatma and the Sikhs 171
Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh
9. Indian Muslim Critiques of Gandhi 193
Roland E. Miller
10. Gandhi and the Hindi-Urdu Question 217
Daud Rahbar
Conclusion: A Debate for Our Times 239
Julius Lipner
Appendix: Chronology of Gandhi, His Critics, and the
Independence Movement 259
Hussein Keshani
Contributors 271
Index 275
Acknowledgments
This book could not have appeared without the financial support of the So-
cial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Thanks are also
due to the President, Vice President Research, the Deans of Humanities and
Social Science, the Centre for Global Studies and the Centre for Asia Pacific
Initiatives of the University of Victoria—all of whom provided financial help.
This book is a research project of the Centre for Studies in Religion and
Society, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Special thanks are
due to Moira Hill for arranging the meetings of the research team and to
Connie Carter for preparing the manuscript for publication.
vii

Introduction
HAROLDCOWARD
Since his death in 1948 Gandhi’s life has been the subject of more than one
thousand books and and Sir Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning film. Is
another book needed? Surprisingly, an important aspect of Gandhi’s life that
has not been given sustained study is his engagement of other major figures
in the Indian Independence movement who were often his critics during the
years 1920–1940. This book aims to fill that gap. We will examine the
strengths and weaknesses of his contribution to India as evidenced in the let-
ters, speeches, and newspaper articles focused on the dialogue/debate be-
tween Gandhi and his major Indian critics. We have included within the term
Indian not only obvious Indian colleagues who critically engaged Gandhi
(e.g., Nehru, Tagore, and Ambedkar) but also two voices of British ancestry,
Annie Besant and C. F. Andrews. Both had left England, made India their
homeland, and debated with Gandhi the best course to take in achieving in-
dependence for India. Indeed it was the Home Rule movement of Besant
that Gandhi had to displace in getting his Non-Cooperation, or Swaraj,
movement adopted by the Indian National Congress at Calcutta in 1920.1
Through letters, Andrews gave Gandhi critical counsel as an intimate friend
throughout the 1920–1948 period. Included in our study are those who we
felt were important leaders or groups within India from the perspective of
Gandhi’s focus on the achievement of Independence. While his power base
was rural village India (and those alienated from their ancestral villages),
Gandhi also sought to incorporate minority groups such as the Muslims,
Sikhs, and Untouchables within his Non-Cooperation movement. Thus we
have featured groups as well as individuals in our analysis. Due to limitations
of space and time, however, not everyone who critically engaged Gandhi has
been included. Among those deserving of discussion, but whom we were un-
able to include, are individuals such as Subhas Bose and groups such as the
Indian Marxists. They are deserving of separate treatments elsewhere.
1