Page 7 - Final Gandhi AnniversaryOct 2020

Gandhi Legacy Beyond Independence of India
A Letter to the Editor
From Lord Rami Ranger CBE, British Peer

A campaign by some misguided against
the statues of Mahatma Gandhi in the UK.

Dear Sir,

I am appalled by the campaign launched for the removal of Mahatma
Gandhi’s statues in the UK by misguided and ill-informed few. The statues
had been erected by public demand to recognise the immense contribution
of Gandhi Ji to the free world. As a result, this protest is unwarranted,
uncalled for, unnecessary and above all, counterproductive. If Britain wishes
to acknowledge the contribution of a leader who was also the architect for
bringing an end to the British rule in India, then it speaks volumes about the
vision and values of this great man. I shudder to think what our world would
have been today without Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for racial equality
which started in South Africa. To call him a racist is totally out order when he
dedicated his entire life fighting racism, imperial rule and shaped the world
as we see it today.
Mahatma Gandhi was not only an Indian leader but a universal
icon who inspired people across the globe with his ideals. The civil rights
movement in America under Dr Martin Luther King was the direct result of
Bapuji’s inspiration. The struggle against apartheid in South Africa by Nelson
Mandela is yet another example. It is wrong to show disrespect to someone
who put the interests of the oppressed above that of his own? How many
people do we know in the world who gave up everything for a cause that they
believed in?
Gandhi Ji was well educated and could have easily continued to live
a comfortable life like most prefer to do. He gave up his comfort and wealth
for the sake of freedom for his countrymen. Still, today a few misguided
individuals choose to overlook his herculean struggle for humanity and wish
to mock and belittle his great achievements. Had he not shown the leadership,
then I doubt India could have gained freedom peacefully through the non-
violence movement. Nor would we have seen the Civil Rights movement in Lord Rami Ranger CBE
the USA and a black President Barack Obama and the end of apartheid in
South Africa.
History shows us that there are only a handful of people objective is achieved. We can see people in certain countries
to have lived and served in the way Mahatma Gandhi did. where leaders have encouraged to use violence to achieve
Condemning or criticising a leader, who is revered the world their goals, and where violence has become ingrained in their
over by finding fault in him is detrimental to every leader who culture and character and remains in their DNA long after their
followed in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. By trying to objectives have been fulfilled.
tarnish his memory and his teachings cannot take his wisdom Bapuji was a visionary, where some leaders opted for
and lessons forward to our future generations. The statue a religious state, Bapuji chose a secular and democratic India
of someone who renounced violence and spoke of civility where everyone would be equal regardless. He knew that
many decades ago, when violence was being perpetrated on no country could move forward by keeping a section of her
minorities by majorities every day acted and acts as a great population behind by systematically discriminating against
symbol of peace and harmony. His famous saying, “an eye for people based on their religion, caste or gender. The result is in
an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” serves us front of us, as we can see how India is surging ahead, whereas
well even today. religious-based countries are in turmoil. Leaders in religious
His statues shows that ones objective can be achieved countries always keep their citizens down in the name of
peacefully as long as there is merit in the cause. He once said, religion to cover their own failings. This is the reason Indians
“strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from are shining across the globe because they are the product of
an indomitable will” This was the basis of his peaceful Quit a secular and democratic country and as a result, can easily
India movement which brought India independence. integrate into any society easily and quickly.
Mahatma Gandhi’s wisdom and respect for his principles Bapuji was unique in many ways. He had no desire to
have spread the world over. Apart from the British monarchs, rule people. Instead, it was to serve them selflessly. We can
no other person in history has had stamps issued to honour see in some countries, leaders put their interests above that of
him as many times as Mahatma Gandhi. Over 50 countries their people and in the process bring sufferings to people and
have issued postage stamps to honour Gandhi Ji. This must impede the progress of their countries.
demonstrate his respect across the world. Gandhi Ji’s message of love and non-violence has
History is full of leaders who fought for freedom with become even more critical than ever before in our fractured
arms which resulted in the death and destruction of millions world. Peace can only come when world leaders start to follow
of innocent lives. Still, Gandhi Ji, on the other hand, advocated Gandhi Ji’s ideals. His statues will remind us of his contribution
a peaceful and nonviolent freedom struggle based on Indian to non-violence and a peaceful coexistence.
values. He knew that violence would generate more bloodshed Those who attempt to denigrate the memory of Bapuji,
and disorder, which would result in the loss of hundreds and are doing the same for humanity itself, and this cannot be
thousands of innocent Indian and British lives to achieve the allowed to happen.
ultimate goal of freedom. The loss of even a single life was very
precious to him, whether Indian or British. He knew that once
people became violent, then their character would change Lord Rami Ranger CBE
forever and that they would remain violent even after their Letter released in June 2020

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Published by Gujarat Publications Ltd Gandhi Birth Anniversary: 2nd October 2020