Prominent Figures of the 20th Century...Prominent Figures of the 20th Century...

                                               The Peaceful Policy   

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   Gandhi arrived in India on 15^th January (by the beginning of World War 1). He found himself already known as a leader and " a Great Soul". However, he decided to travel all over India to familiarize himself with his country even more. Gandhi settled near Ahmedabad where he started a religious group-home. Anyone of any race or religion was welcomed there if he was ready to make certain promises which are:

q       Always say the truth;

q       Never fight or hate others;

q       Eat only what was necessary to keep healthy;

q       Own only what was necessary.

  Then Gandhi plunged into politics and soon became the dominant figure in the Indian National Congress. Gandhi worked for a policy of non-cooperation with the British in 1920-22. He abandoned violence and continued civil disobedience. Organizing protest marches against unjust British actions and demanding boycott of British goods, he was -and for the first time by the British- imprisoned in 1922; but was released two years after.

          "Non-cooperation and civil disobedience are different but [are] branches of the same tree call Satyagraha (truth-force)."     Gandhi                                               

The famous Dandi March 

 Probably the most famous of his protest marches is the ' Salt March' in 1930. At that time it was forbidden that the people make salt from sea water, but they had to buy it through the government. As an unfair law, Gandhi saw it must not be obeyed and announced that he will lead his followers to the sea to break the law; and he did. For three weeks the little old man walked bravely with crowds following him from Ahmedabad to the Arabian Sea. In April, 1930 61 years old Gandhi, reached Dandi after walking 241 miles in 24 days There he held out a hand- ful of salt and said God had given the sea; no government and no man can deprive the people of it. As expected -and as he knew- he was imprisoned for some time but was released again in 1931and halted his campaign of civil disobedience after the British made concessions to his demands. In the same year, 1931 Gandhi represented the Indian National Congress at a conference in London.  

         "  Nonviolent action without the cooperation of the heart and the head cannot produce the intended result."                                                                                        Gandhi