CHAPTER I

Introduction

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When we observe the contemporary media scenario we find so many things that

compel us to think about the content, style and approach of today’s media. The countless

examples of unethical practices, domination of market forces in the media wherein the

‘advertorial’ and ‘response’ and ‘response features’ edge out editorials, and when the

media is trying to project the celebrities and moderns as the icons of modern society, it

would worthwhile to revisit Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy and canon of journalism and

his contribution as a journalist.

Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi was an effective communicator and was brave

and fluent with his words. It was his mass oriented journalism that he reached out to

millions of people and influenced them of his cause and it can be said that journalism was

the factor that transform Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi. The analysis of the newspaper that

Gandhi was associated with clearly suggest that it was his communication skills that

spread awareness, talked for a common man, focused on the welfare of society and

ultimately made him Mahatma. The weeklies Gandhi ran and edited are a treasure to

learn the art of free, fair and ethics based journalism. Apart from journalistic skills, his

newspapers are the best source to know Gandhi's managerial skills, and commitment to

get things done in larger and broader perspectives. As Sushri Radha Bhatt1 says,

“Mahatma Gandhi’s sole purpose of journalism was to serve the society at a large scale

and it was his mass oriented approach and ethics based journalism that inspires and

guides the journalists of all times”.

It is in this context, the study has tried to find out the following objectives:

To explore the value and ethics of journalism practiced by Gandhi

To find out the relevance of Gandhian concept of journalism

To find out the opportunities and challenges of Gandhian model of journalism

                                                            1 Sushri Radha Bhatt, Chairperson of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi. 

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To find out the possible way of Gandhian model of journalism together with the

commercialization of media.

Gandhi molded himself with the experience of his life and experimented with his

ideas and made his life an experience for millions. He was in fact a very ordinary person

with the extraordinary quality of serving others. He exemplified his guts by implementing

what he thought. Gandhi, through his journal Indian opinion, the Young India, the

Navajivan and the Harijan, not only did share his views, but, in the process, laid down a

set of morals for journalists to follow the ethics of journalism. While operating the

newspapers, his aim was to educate the people so that they could know the significance

of independence; political, economic and social - and actively take part in freeing

humanity from the bondage it was in. His purpose, as a journalist, was the service of

society. Gandhi was not only a man of political action but he was also a thinker and

observer gifted with a superb capacity to write simple, lucidly and meaningfully.

Wielding a facile pen, Gandhiji has left behind for the world a record of his thoughts,

activities and dreams embodied in his profuse writings and profound utterances. To

crown all these are the soul-stirring deeds which are an eloquent testimony to the

pragmatic idealism of Gandhi (Ahluwalia, 1968: P-23).

Throughout his life Gandhi made efforts to sustain the doctrine of faith. He never

sought for a short term sight on anything. He never cared for rapid or impressive success.

He followed a steady and sure process with a straight forward objective. To him means

were as important as ends. Moreover, truth was God for him. He could not negotiate

away truth for anything. The Press Commission also realized the utter necessity of

truthful and objective presentation of news and views and said:

“The need for truthful, objective and comprehensive presentation of news

from all corners of the world was never more urgent. Hundreds of millions of

our people have been enfranchised. A large number of them may yet be

illiterate. But they have also shown considerable shrewdness and

understanding of political events, the man behind the plough is eager to

understand the community of which he has became a part. Gandhi wants to

know all that is happening around him, and he reads the newspaper eagerly or

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listens to it being read out. The future of the country depends on him, and it is

his choice, that is going to decide questions of peace or war. He wants facts,

but also, expects his newspaper to give him the truth about the facts”. (India

Government: Report of the Press commission, 1954: P.340)

Gandhi’s many instances may make him appear Utopian2 in thought and self-

centered in his actions. It would not be completely incorrect if someone held the view

that principles were not always fitting in certain situations. But he was a person who took

the fight for Independence to the nook and corner of the villages, generating a mission of

mass movement which was started by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak3. The slogan that

Lokmanya gave was “Freedom Is My Birth Right”. He therefore became the face of the

moderates. He carried the wand passed by the well known who propagate to have

struggle for freedom for fighting against the law that was harsh and was being enforced

recklessly by the British Administration.

An overview of the life of Gandhi would disclose so many greater points of his

personality; with completely out of the world experiments, he was working on the

magnificent political scenario that was to change the world. He had commenced his

experiments in truth much before he came back to India. What began as a personal act of

unfairness and the helplessness to fight it out singly was turned into the strength that

made him a leader of the masses. His hold over the masses was phenomenal. Even those

who disagreed with him bowed their heads before his moral power. He was revered more

as a Mahatma rather than a political leader (Sharma, 1991: P-123). He had in fact by

screening the courage to stand against the cruel favoritism gave a language to them in

which many hundreds of exploited could speak the language of non violence which had

the script of self suffering and self sacrifice, which would be spoken by the sound of

tolerance.

                                                            2 An idealistic but usually impractical social reformer 

3 An Indian Nationalist, Journalist, Social reformer, lawyer and the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement 

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It was probably the consideration of millions across the globe, the burning anger

in the hearts of millions but the supremacy of sword and the bullet was silencing every

voice of opposed by eliminating the person raising the voice. This unexpected and

unanticipated civilized reprisal by non-violence protest and breach of law, tolerating the

physical harm, displaying outmost endurance and readiness to bear the torture, stunned

the inflictors of blows touching their inner principles which apparently moved their soul.

This experiment of non-violence protest had showed very encouraging and interesting

results, making several friends even among the whites in South Africa. People world over

commenced to watch this strange experiment in a vast exploited nation in the background

of violent history of the colonial administration based on the color of the skin. People got

attracted to this novel protest, some by participating in it, some by sustaining it, some by

sympathizing with it and many by following the progress of such an agitation. In South

Africa, Gandhi used very dignified language to put across his ideas which were in the

nature of educating the Indians and others. His attitude as revealed in his writings, never

had a tone of confrontation or challenge, rather Gandhi was developing a new technique

and style of appealing to the fairness the British are known for (Chadda, 2010: P-28).

Millions of the suffering lot across the Globe, mainly in his Home Country - India, had

been keeping track of the experiments being conducted by Gandhi, opening up a new

forum against the exploiters world over.

The situation in India at that time being largely beyond the control of the

leadership, which was alienated on the approach to attain freedom, divided among the

radicals and the moderates had created no mass leadership which could carry the entire

population with him. The hardliner who had their own theory of meeting violence with

counter violence could not be found fault with, as the oppressive methods of

administration had prompted them to take to violent protest. However the goal being one;

unshackle the nation of slavery and alien rule at the cost of sacrificing their lives was

making them heroes, but the death of some brilliant and valiant fighters who exemplified

courage, could only ignite fire which did not acquire the proportion of a rage. The lasting

fire that the situation required had to glow from within, silently and stealthily. That was

what the arrival of Gandhi with his experiments on this vast oppressed nation exactly did.

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He made himself one of the common man adopting their attire and food. He threatened

the excessively attired white administrator and his lavishly carpeted office by his simple

dress and thatch roofed Ashram.

Gandhi had selected his tools for the struggle; he was to lead in posterity using the

education that he had acquired. His strong faith in the reasonableness of human being had

made him firm in his conviction to fight the foe that he always recognized in the thought

rather than the corpus of the person, by following the process of law and building public

awareness. This double edges weapon was lethal as it could cut at the root of the thought

of the adversary.

Gandhi’s journalistic career commenced in England and he carried it for the more

useful purpose of struggle against the apartheid after he came down to South Africa to

join the war to practice law. On the third day of his arrival in South Africa he was

insulted in a court of law. He published on account of this incident in a local paper and

gained publicity overnight. At the age of thirty five, he took charge of Indian Opinion and

unified the Indian in South Africa. A Gujarati edition of this weekly was simultaneously

printed at phoenix. He wrote on various issues concerning the health and life sketches of

eminent personalities in Gujarati edition of Indian Opinion. He wanted to influence the

public opinion, to remove the cause of misunderstanding between the whites and the

India and to pour out the drawbacks of his countrymen. His articles and columns in

Indian Opinion gave the idea and practice of Satyagraha the novel from of struggle. As a

technique, Satyagragh4 was developed by Gandhi in South Africa to give the Indian

population there a weapon with which to resist the injustices being perpetrated by the

colonial government (Murphy, 1991: P-29-30). He had not only the natives of South

Africa but even the distinguished personalities as his reader. In fact he was the source for

                                                            4 Sanskrit term ‘Satya’ meaning Truth and ‘Agraha’ means Insistence, translated as Insistence on Truth and was used as a policy of Nonviolent resistance by Mahatma Gandhi 

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them to know what was happening in South Africa. Few among the distinguished reader

were Gokhale5 in India, Dadabhai Naoroji6 in England and Tolstoy in Russia.

Gandhi knew newspapers could become powerful medium for spreading his

thoughts and actions as it would not only generate public opinion, but would also infuse

in them the courage to stand upright to fight a legal battle with the weapon of

nonviolence. As a Journalist he was successful, though he never intended to make a

living from journalism. He had strongly held the belief that the aim of journalism was

service. Gandhi, in grimmest of situations did not allow advertisement to cut into the

space for information that was being transmitted by him to generate the momentum

among the people in the cause of their culture, health, rights as human being. He knew

that he would not be able to serve truth and remain independent if he accepted

advertisements. He never cared to increase the sale of his journals through improper

means, or to compete with other newspapers, in his thirty long years of journalistic career

in India he followed the path carved out by him strictly in tune with his principles. After

becoming the editor of Young India, he felt the urgent need of starting a vernacular paper

and thus the Gujarati edition of the Young India came into existence. Thus he brought out

Navjivan, The Hindi and Gujarati version of Young India. He always felt contended that

his vernacular paper was read by many farmers and workers.

‘The Harijan’, another weekly was started by Gandhi when he was in Jail. It came

with the objective to help Harijans and the ethical focus was on eradication of

untouchability. Like Young India this too priced one anna. Initially it did not espouse any

political cause or action. It was first brought out in Hindi. Gandhi was permitted to write

thrice a week from jail. He brought out this paper which published views than news. This

paper was published in almost ten languages and consequently created a huge base of

people to whom the basic philosophy of Satyagraha and Non-Violence was being

                                                            5 Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the founding social and political leaders during Indian Independence Movement and senior leader of the Indian National Congress 

6 Dadabhai Naoroji was an intellectual, educator, Indian political and social leader. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom House of Commons between 1892 and 1895 and the first Asian to be British MP. He was also one of the founding members of the Indian National Congress. 

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introduced and inculcated. Gandhi wrote in four languages Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and

English with equal flair and simplicity. Sensational writing or presentation was not the

model of journalism for Gandhi. His paper never contained any sensational topics. His

entire stress was on to build the concepts of constructive work, satyagraha, non-violence,

diet, nature-cure, Hindu-Muslim unity, untouchability, spinning, Khadi, swadeshi, village

industries and prohibition. He was in fact building a society which would be self-

sufficient economically, peaceful socially, and achieves their aim without resorting to any

conflict and violence as Shambhu Dutta7 says, “Gandhi never ever practiced journalism

for cheap popularity and he was far away from the sensational and unethical practice of

journalism”.

The press which has come to be known as the Fourth Estate besides the

Legislature, Executive and Judiciary as the power Centers, of a democratically

administered State, had maintained the ethical standards of journalism in the first three

decades of the post independent era in India. However with the political system getting

patently corrupt and the decline in the moral and ethical values did have its effect even in

the field of journalism. The Freedom struggle had shown the brilliance of the thought,

language, communication skills, forthrightness, accountability, transparency, devotion to

cause and sense of responsibility exemplified by the people who did not study the

curriculum of journalism in class rooms. They were stirred in thoughts by being exposed

to the harsh realities on ground and were focused to a goal, the goal of independence.

They had known the power of pen which was the only mighty weapon they held in a

devastated economy and knew that it was only through this they could build the pressure

and remove the mask worn by the British Government of so called savior of democracy

and freedom, which was being denied to a vast population of a nation which had history

of more than five thousand years.

The journalistic scenario which is now not restricted to mere the printed letter, has

widened its base by including the medium of broadcasting, telecasting and new media.

Now in the age of internet, the journalism has lost the physical boundaries of

                                                            7 Eminent Gandhian and advisor of the Gandhian Sewa & Satyagrah Brigade, New Delhi 

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transmission of news. The free flow of information and the competition among the

owners of various media has shown careless haste in sole criteria of making news.

Unmindful of what is being torn apart, the respect and prestige of people who are merely

suspect; is tarnished by causing a trial by media.

Today sensationalisation8 of news has become the measure of success in the

journalistic field, while the Gandhi’s journalism was fully in conformity with his

ideology of non-violence that it did not provide for any content which would cause fear

in the thought of the reader. The excessive coverage of tinsel world and the ionization of

celluloid and sports personalities endorsing products thereby growing stinking rich;

without any input of knowledge at the base their endeavor, merely because they possess

the qualification of reaping money for those who have invited them to entertain the

masses, have snatched the space of the thought provoking write ups. The media specially

the electronic media with the power of visuals at its command - which can make deep

impact on the mind of the viewers, has lost the balance that was seen being created in the

pre-liberalization years in India. It is also likely that political news content has increased

not only in newspapers but in all the media, especially satellite/ cable TV. Political

events, politicians’ counter-statements, political squabbles and scandals occupy a

substantial portion of the space or time in most channels (Vilanilam, 1990: P-86).

Liberalization has brought in the curse of consumerism to the people who have

been getting indoctrinated in the art of consuming and in the process getting consumed at

the hands of the promoters and sellers. The decline in the content of the media of every

classification has ripped off the mask of decency and moral in the family. The nation and

any thought in regard to the nation is being presented in a glamorous environ. To

compete with the visually dominant media, the Print media also has loosened all the

holds it had been imposing upon itself by self-regulation and thereby the newspaper

which was hitherto the only source of common man to know about the world. The public

at large had the trust in the news given and held them in high esteem, however with the

                                                            8 To cast and present in a manner intended to arouse strong interest, especially through inclusion of exaggerated or lurid details. 

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excessive commercialization and being committed to a person or a political party has

seen the manipulation of the Fourth Estate. The Press and media have lost faith that it

used to command earlier.

The journalistic ethics set by persons like Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak, Agarkar9 and

many more who had written with the sole purpose to create public opinion and to bring

awareness among the huge mass of illiterate natives of the British India are seen to be

followed more in breach today in the background of the liberalized economy which is

guided by the market forces rather than the social and national interests. It might be

unjust if the Press and the Media are restricted to follow all the ethical standards as set by

people of the times of Tilak and Gandhi, but nevertheless the manner in which the Press

and Media is allowing itself to be so widely open that it forgets that it ought to be only

transparent and not irresponsible by being torn in its contents. Truth and truthfulness are

at the heart of the journalistic enterprise. On the whole, journalists aim to be truthful. But

there are times when in order to be truthful or to obtain information so that a truthful

story may be told, reporters believe it necessary to lie (Sanders, 2003: P-45).

The Gandhian Journalism was fully in conformity with his ideology of non-

violence that it did not provide for any content which would cause fear ever in the

thought of the reader. The content was selectively so worded that it would put the people

on alert and prepare them to face a challenge, provoke for a protest to oppose an unlawful

act of the state, but the content was harmless so far as the prestige of the officer was

concerned, while at the same time the opinion and the resolve of the people was clearly

communicated to the rulers. In those difficult days with shattered economy and scarce

resources, when the English and vernacular press could be managed without any

advertisement, it would not be difficult that the Press and Media today can find any

difficulty in running their business of journalism with minimum advertisements and

contribute to the need of creating awareness and build public opinion against the wrong

                                                            9 Gopal Ganesh Agarkar was a social reformer, educationist and a close associate of Lokmanya Tilak. He was first editor of the weekly Kesari and founder and editor of periodical Sudhaarak  

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and energies the mass with ethical values and support the cause of building a civil society

where concepts of Non-Violence and Rule of Law will prevail.

Gandhi built his own ethics even in his role of a journalist and followed the same

until his last. He adopted persuasion as the only means to bring about change, be that in

India or South Africa. His quality of possessing utmost patience was germane to the

journalist in him. The stark contrast in the present day journalism of losing patience every

moment is what makes the journalism of the day, an act lacking in virtues.

1.1 Gandhi Journalism and Values

Deciding about the parameter of news, journalists apply different criteria keeping in

view the target audience. Significantly news values are used as a measure to determine

the nature of newspaper. Broadly, newspapers are classified as board sheet and tabloids

and broad sheets are considered to be elite, serious and stimulating in terms of contents,

while tabloids focus on generally non-serious issues. For instance, tabloids focus on sex,

scandal and surprises to draw the reader's attention. Moreover, the news values are the

base of the profession on which the trust worthiness and character of a newspaper rely

upon to establish a relationship with the readers. In a study done by Mastertone

(Mastertone, 1998: P- 85-103) of news in 69 countries, he found six major news values

that were universally accepted:

Consequence (importance, strength of effect),

Proximity (geographic and cultural),

Conflict,

Human interest (stories about ordinary people),

Novelty (unusual or bizarre events), and

Prominence (events involving prominent people).

Although he found these six news values as universally accepted, they are

interdependent. For example, a conflict in association with prominence occupies

prominent place in newspapers. Thus, conflict-prominence or conflict-novelty and so on

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secures more space in the newspaper columns. However, in another study done by

(Harcup,T. and O'Neil: 261-280), suggest that ten news values obtain importance in the

present day newspapers. They are:

Reference to celebrity

Entertainment (sex, human interest, drama)

Surprise

Good news (rescues, person triumph)

Bad news (e.g. tragedy, accident)

Magnitude

Relevance (cultural proximity, political importance)

Follow up stories

The newspapers agenda.  

Thus, it is understood that the news values kept on changing with the addition of

new values to the list of old values. In fact the purpose of media is to inform the audience

about the events that take place in a society. Because a newspaper is not like a product to

be sold on the basis of price, readers judge the quality of a newspaper, relating to its news

content. Since a newspaper never makes an attempt to lose the base of readership, the

reader’s needs are fulfilled by the supply of news while being accountable to the public.

The theoretical view is that social responsibility is an ethical issue for a newspaper. In

relation to its role as a public educator, newspapers have certain news values in reporting

or selecting an event before it is transmitted to the public. In India, the press is dominated

by certain news values in the post-Independent era. Of course, every press system in the

world can adopt different set of news values keeping in view the country’s priorities or

the newspaper’s readership profile.

Culture is that which distinguishes one group of people from another group. This

broad definition focuses on how the values of a group people are manifested essentially

in that group’s rituals and symbols. At the centre of culture is a set of societal norms

based on values shared by a population that has experienced a common history. Gandhi

favored preservation of Indian culture and had shown the world the features of Indian

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ethics and values in his physical countenance and through his personal conduct. Gandhi

explained the reason for adoption of loin cloth in Young India (Young India, 1931, April

30).

“The adoption of the lion cloth was for me a sheer necessity. But in so far as

the lion cloth also spells simplicity let it represent Indian civilization. It is the

mingling of the culture represented by the different faith and influenced by

the geographical and other environment in which the cultures have met. Thus

Islamic culture is not the same in Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and India but it is self

influenced by the conditions of the respective countries, Indian culture is

therefore Indian. It is neither Hindu, Islamic nor any other any other wholly. It

is a fusion of all the essentially eastern. I had in mind that culture. And

everyone who calls himself or herself an Indian is bound to treasure that

culture, be its trustee and resist any attack upon it. European civilization is no

doubt suited for Europeans but it will mean ruin for India, if we endeavor to

copy it. This is not to say that we may not adopt and assimilate whatever may

be good and capable of assimilation by us as it doesn’t also mean that even

the Europeans will not have to part with whatever evil might have crept into

it”.

Gandhi believed in the motto of ‘Plain living and high thinking’ and

wrote about the same in Young India;

“The incessant search for material comfort and their multiplication is such an

evil, and I boldly to say that the Europeans themselves will have to remodel

their outlook, if they are not to perish under the weight of the comforts to

which they are becoming salves. It may be that that my reading is wrong, but I

know that for India to run after the Golden Fleece is to court certain death. Let

us engrave on our hearts the motto of a Western Philosopher ‘Plain living and

high thinking’. Today it is certain that the millions cannot have high living

and we the few who profess to do the thinking for the masses run the risk, in a

vain search after high living, of missing high thinking”.

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In Hind Swaraj, he elaborated the meaning of culture, and its effect on human

behavior, Modern civilization, according to Mahatma Gandhi, makes people materialistic

and forces them to concentrate their thought upon their bodies and upon the means of

multiplying bodily comfort as against culture (Gandhi Newspaper, 1994: P-277). For

instance, Gandhi writing about civilization in Hind Swaraj, described it as good conduct.

Thus, he explained his concept of life through spinning wheel. In Young India on

September 17, 1925, he wrote;

“The message of the spinning wheel is wider than its circumference. Its

message is one of simplicity, service to mankind, living so as not to hurt

others, creating an indissoluble bond between the rich and the poor, capital

and labor, the prince and peasant”.

Gandhi outlined that the basic purpose of newspaper was public service. In

serving the people, the newspapers were expected to transmit news that would transform

the individual from wrong doing to righteous behaviors. Almost all Gandhi’s writing had

aimed at moral transformation of the individual while reinforcing moral conduct in him.

Writing in Hind Swaraj, he opined that the tendency of the Indian civilization is to

elevate the moral being, and that of the Western civilization is to propagate immorality.

With his view, Gandhi educated civilization with good conduct in his answer to the

reader in Hind Swaraj. Through his writing in Young India and Harijan, he emphasized

on prayer as one of the means to purge himself/herself from the wrong doing and advised

all readers to chant Ram. For instance, he advocated nature cure to keep up sound health

in an article through his journal Harijan on May 25, 1946.

Gandhi’s way of perfecting his own conduct, and ultimately finding God, was

through tightly interweaving the three strands of soul purifying prayer, self rule and

selfless service of others. In 1927 he explained,

“I am endeavoring to see God through service of humanity, for I know that

God is neither in heaven, nor down below, but in everyone, on number of

occasions, Gandhi wrote on moral conduct of the individual and he believed a

spiritually integrated person is no longer a slave of the passions, but is able to

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go to about him or her daily affairs in the light of true self knowledge”

(Copley, 1996: P-1-24).

One of the present day news values, conflict obtains prominent place in day- to-

day journalism. Be it a conflict between individuals, communities, states or nations, the

news related to such conflicts is treated well, and the newspapers advertently exacerbate

the conflict by giving it different angles in the story. Language used in such reports is

acerbic and stimulates further fissures in the groups involved in the conflict. Since

objectivity in the news report is slowly declining, the media reports are apparently

seemed to be biased. However, all conflicts are not per se bad or uncalled for, and some

conflicts certainly yield good results. Thus, media’s role in conflicts is to bridge the gap

between parties involved and strive for resolution. Thus, the key concept in journalism is

truth and reconciliation, mediation or negotiation paving way for peace. In relation to

promotion of peace, Gandhi emphasized on conflict resolution, and worked towards that

end. Gandhi advocated peace through the publications advised and admonished both

involved in conflict to find an amicable solution. Writing about non-violence, he

professed the philosophy in an article,

“The doctrine of the sword' I am not a visionary. I claim to be a practical

idealist. The religion of non-violence is not meant merely for the rishis and

saints. It is meant for common people. Non-violence is the law of our species

as violence is the law of the brute. Non-Violence in its dynamic condition

means conscious suffering. It does not mean meek submission to the will of

the evil-doer, but it means the putting of one’s who soul against the will of the

tyrant. Working under this law of our being, it is possible for a single

individual to defy the whole might of an unjust empire to save his honor, his

religion, his soul and lay the foundation for that empire’s fall or its

regeneration. And I am not pleading for India to practice non-violence

because it is weak. I want her to practice non-violence being conscious of her

strength and power. No training in arms is required for realization of strength.

My service is dedicated to service to India through the religion of non-

violence which I believe to be the root of Hinduism”. (Gandhi, young India:

August 11, 1920)

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1.2 Journalism for Growth of the Nation

Looking at the need of the hour, rural development was given importance in

the Gandhian journalism, in view of the fact that Gandhi was keen on rural development

which would play a key role in national development. Gandhi focused on development

journalism and consistently wrote on the subjects that were beneficial for the masses

(Murthy, 1966: P- 79-80).

Further, Gandhi continually emphasized the necessity for identification with

the villagers, who represented the masses of India and their needs be met and Gandhi

wrote;

“I have taken up journalism not for its sake but merely as aid to what I have

conceived to be my mission in life. My mission is to teach by example and

precept under severe restraint the use of the matchless weapon of satyagraha

which is a direct corollary of nonviolence and truth... To be true to my faith,

therefore, I may not write idly, I may not write merely to excite passion. The

reader can have no idea of the restraint I have to exercise from week to week in

the choice of topics and my vocabulary. It is training for me. It enables me to

peep into myself and to make discoveries of my weaknesses. Often my vanity

dictates a smart expression or my anger a harsh adjective. It is a terrible ordeal

but fine exercise to remove these words”. (Gandhi, Young India, July 2, 1925)

If Gandhi is understood in right perspective; his comments in relation to

development seem highly relevant.

“We must identify ourselves with the villagers who toil under the hot sun

beating on their bent backs and see how we would like to drink water from the

pool in which the villagers bathe, wash their clothes and pots and in which

their cattle drink and roll. Then and not till then shall we truly represent the

masses and they will, as surely as I am writing this, respond to every call

Because I recognize no God except the God that is to be found in the hearts of

dumb millions and I worship the God that is Truth or Truth which is God

through the service of these millions”. (Dalton & Dennis, 1999: P-59)

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Though the Indian Press is not satisfied about reporting about development, the

regularity of reporting is not encouraging. India is in a process of development and the

progress of the nation depends on the society as a whole. Yet, majority of population

suffer from acute poverty. Lack of facilities also reinforces insecurity among women,

risking their health, pride and dignity besides harassment.

1.3 Gandhi on Language for Media

Language is a tool of communication for journalists, and use of language in news

reports plays an important role in informing the public about an event. Though a

journalist does not witness an event at times, he or she tries to construct it with the help

of information given to him/her by a second party. Sometimes, a journalist may be

present at the event: he or she constructs it by understanding it. In such a situation, is the

journalist presenting is facts to the public? News is a representation of reality that

happens in the environment and the language facilitates the projection of reality. In

journalism, use of value-free words is to be practiced to be very objective in reporting an

event without any bias. Since the use of language is not mere accidental, they carry the

intentions of the writer. Often, the contents of newspapers are not fact about the world,

but very general sense ideas. Thus, the analyses of media can assess the ideological

practices of journalists and their representation through language. Hence, Gandhi advised

the newspapers to give importance to the language being used in the newspapers. The

following passage is illustrative of his mind.

“The last, though not the least question is what is duty of newspaper in a

country where there are laws like the ‘Seditious Writing Act’ and the

‘Defense of Indian Act’ to restrict its freedom? In order to get over this

limitation our newspapers have evolved a style of writing which makes it

possible to interpret what they say on a particular matter, which may seem to

fall within the previews of these Acts, in two different ways. Some have

perfected this art to a science. First, in my opinion, this causes harm to our

country. People develop a tendency to equivocate and fail to cultivate the

courage to speak the truth. It changes the form of the language which, instead

of being an instrument for expressing one's thoughts, because a mask for

18  

concealing them. I am convinced that this is not the way to educate our

people. Both people and individuals must cultivate the habit of speaking their

minds. Newspapers are in a position to impart such training to them. The right

course, and the one which will ultimately be found to be of the greatest

advantage to us, would we that those who are afraid of the above laws and

who do not want to get entangled on them should stop publishing newspapers,

or that they should frankly state their true views and bear the consequences.

Justice Steven has said somewhere that there can be no hatred in the language

of a man who has no hatred in his heart. And if there is any hatred one should

frankly express it. In cause one hasn't the courage to act thus, one should, stop

publishing a newspaper. In this lies the good of our people and our country”.

(Gandhi, 1994, P-312)

1.4 Conflict of Social Service vs. Profit

Journalism has become an industry in the modern days, and commercialization10

of the press has been increasingly found in every aspect. According to the report of

FICCI, 2012 the Print industry has grown by 8.3 percent from INR 193 billion in 2010 to

INR 209 in 2011 (FICCI, 2012). Gandhi’s views was that the newspapers were meant for

public service, they should not compromise on their role in society, and the concept of

profits should be regulated to the background advertisements from the businessman, the

newspaper tend to be influenced and they yield to the process of those advertisers. Often,

adverse news against advertisers is suppressed in support of the advertisers. Being in the

service of people, the newspaper cannot ‘soil’ their pages with such advertisements. For

instance, Gandhi appealed to the readers of Young India to support the weekly with their

subscriptions, in order to avoid advertisements. Thus Gandhi observed succinctly and

said,

“It is now and established practice with newspapers to derive their main

income from advertisement rather that from subscribers. The result is

deplorable published advertisement in praised of drink. We read about the ill

                                                            10 It is the process or cycle of introducing a new product or production method into the market. 

19  

effect of tobacco as well as where to buy good tobacco or which brand of

cigarette to smoke in the sun newspapers or, it may on the one hand, publish a

server denunciation of a certain play and, on the other elsewhere in its

columns, a long advertisement of it the largest source of revenue is derived

from medical advertisement, which is the cause of much harm to our people.

They, almost wholly, nullify the other services rendered by newspaper I have

seen harm caused by the advertisements, for many people are lured into

buying the medicines supposed to increase virility, overcome debility etc.

Many of these medicines are those encourage immortality. It is strange that

such advertisement and a place even in religious papers. Thus custom has

been adopted from the West Whatever the effort; we must either put an end to

this undesirable practice or, at least, reform it. It is the duty of every

newspaper to raise care in accepting advertisements for publication in its

pages”. (Gandhi, 1994, P-311-312)

Gandhi expressed his displeasure at the modern newspapers as he said, “The

superficiality, the one sidedness, the inaccuracy and often dishonesty that have crept into

modern journalism, continuously mislead honest men who want to see nothing but

justice” (Young India, 12.05.1920). He pointed out that the newspapers publish any

matter they have without regard to its need or importance just to fill in vacant space. This

practice is almost universal. It is so in the West also. The reason is that most newspapers

have an eye on profits. There is no doubt that newspapers have done great service to the

people and these defects are therefore overlooked. But they have done equally great

harm. There are newspapers in the West which are so full of trash that it would be a sin to

read them. At times they produce bitterness and strife even between different families and

communities. Thus, newspapers cannot escape criticism merely because they also serve

the interests of the people. On the whole, it would seem that the gain and loss from

newspapers are almost equal (Gandhi, 1994: P- 311).

1.5 Dilemma of Facts vs. Opinion

Interpretative journalism is increasingly becoming a feature of the modern day

newspapers. Newspapers because of their inherent weakness of slow disseminator’s

20  

information as compared to television indulge in interpreting news with their comment.

Earlier views which were confined to editorial page at present interpolate with news, and

newspapers pass value judgments on the events. One of the ethics in journalism often

underlines non-involvement in the events, and the journalist is an objective spectator of

the events. Specifically, the emergence of television has posed a problem to viewers in

the context of live coverage of issues. The journalist in order to analyze the situation is

identifying himself with the situation as in the case of embedded journalism where

journalist’s trips are sponsored by the source.

Objectivity is losing its relevance. Gandhi observed the reporting of speeches in

Indian newspapers is generally defective. There are very few who can write down a

speech verbatim while it is being delivered or afterwards from memory. This results in

much distortion and interpolation. The best rule would be to send the proof of the

reported speech to the speaker for correction and publish its own report of the speech

only if the speaker doesn’t revise the proof sent to him (Gandhi, 1994, P- 310). Although

Gandhi was insisting that the information should be cross-checked by journalist before

publication, it is not practiced by modern day journalists. One explanation for journalists

is that they are rushing to cover many news events, and find less time to verify the facts.

Thus Jacquette explained the reasons for the prevailing environment in the media:

news reporters have a interested set of perceptual, personal, and cultural perspectives

from that standpoint they collect information which they must try to communicate to the

audience in a particular choice of text and images, for persons whose background and

presuppositions they may likely have some grasp of, but which will also include persons

of very diverse perceptual, personal, and cultural perspectives. Since journalists emerge

from diverse backgrounds, the news reports filed by them reflect the personal variables in

them, and thus objectivity suffers most of the times (Jacquette, 2007, P- 246).

21  

1.6 Literature review

1. Gandhi Today edited by S V Prabhath

Gandhi today by S V Prabhath is an invaluable compilation of highly enlightening

articles on Mahatma Gandhi, showing in multi spectra. This compilation is a rich tribute

to Mahatma Gandhi and we get yet another chance to pledge to follow the path treaded

by him. This is essential for sustaining our identity with a resurgent Gandhism. This

volume also reflects Gandhi’s fervent belief that true freedom lies in thorough practice of

our occupations and giving equal chance to every citizens to practice, perform and

ultimately progress. The necessity is at last felt to implement not just his Ahimsavada, but

more importantly the swaraj and samvodaya movement, to empower the lesser. And

bring them to mainstream. In some essays of this compilation, we need to understand that

empowerment in Gandhi’s dictionary refers to giving equal opportunity to rural India,

Indian Women and the Bharat’s little children.

Another interesting aspect registered in this exemplary book is the change that

Gandhi dreamt of. Gandhi was always a man of praxis and should not misread as person

with an unyielding frame of mind. In the midst of intense debate about the importance

and relevance of Gandhi in the current scenario, the book throws open the strongest and

indisputable point which is beyond any doubt, yes Gandhi’s relevance is clear because

not only have Gandhians and NGO’s vouched for it, but several strata of Indian and other

world societies suffer from a sense of false glory under which the grass-root layers are

crumbling. Here is the pressure of globalization, polarization, profit-motive, all too many

to carry forward. Let’s turn the coin to our basis and love our basis, adoration of our

countries odd background can place comfortably where every citizen is empowered to

play his role in building the nation and serving the needy.

2. Modernity, Morality And Mahatma By Madhuri Santanam Sondhi,

Haranand Publication, 1994

This work had its genesis in a fellowship from the Indian council of Philosophical

Research 1988-91, for a project on Gandhi, Aurobindo and mallik-Alternative features.

22  

Preparing the text for the publication promised to become a lengthy and arduous task, so

herewith the first third of the project concerning Gandhi’s ethical critique of the

processes and institutions of modernity is presented. Since the moral quality of social and

public life has become the subject of acute public concern, the text is amended in parts to

address a wider audience, and readers will kindly bear with the alternating levels of

analysis. Inevitably the author has crossed disciplines and covered a wide range of topics

in trying to sketch a more holistic picture to keep pace with ‘Mahatma’. All the same,

brief outlines of Aurobindo’s and Mallik’s attitudes positions have been included, as they

assist in locating the moral sense within a wider vision for the future.

3. An Introduction to Gandhian Thought By Dr.G.Ranjit Sharma, Atlantic

Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd., January 1995

Ever since his time scores of books have been written on Gandhi’s thought.

Though Gandhi himself never agreed that there us anything like Gandhian thought,

however he presented important ideas in almost every field of field of life. There cannot

be Gandhi-ism in the sense of rigid thought system since Gandhi always stood for

freedom, growth and dynamism. However, his thoughts have been valuable to the seekers

of truth everywhere in the world. It is impossible to do justice to his ideas in a small book

like the present one. The author has, however tried to present a bird’s eye view of the

more salient points of his world view. Deeply conscious of the adequacy of the present

attempts the author has called it an introduction to Gandhian Thought. The bibliography

at the end of the book is for those who wish to study Gandhian thought in detail.

The present work runs into twenty-three chapters, each devoted to some particular

aspect of Gandhian thought. In each chapter the particular aspect of Gandhian has been

defined and elaborated with reference to quotations from writings of M K Gandhi. The

author is deeply conscious of the fact that each chapter may only present bare salient

points, just inspire the readers to study more and more in that direction. In the treatment

of some subjects, wide they are, paucity of space has not permitted the author to go in

details and therefore, had to be satisfied with the bare minimum.

23  

4. An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mohan

Das Karamchand Gandhi, Penguin Adult, June, 2007

The book is extremely straight forward and gets to the point and it contains a lot

his early childhood to the 1920s. His memoirs of what he cultured to be honest in his

relationships are particularly valuable, as he often explains how he came to understand

and confess when he was wrong, what words he used to state his apology, and how he

accepted the answer which was nearly always met with kindness. It was appealing to find

out Gandhi himself was greatly influenced by Tolstoy’s non-violent principles in The

Kingdom of God Is Within You. He even called his ashram in South Africa “Tolstoy

Farm” and it can be noticed that there is lot of commonality between the two men. There

are a lot Hindu/Indian terms mentioned in the book like: Ashram, darbar, darshan, dhoti,

haveli, vakils, Khilafat, Madras, Parsi, Swaraj, Vaishnavas. Maps would have been nice

too. But there is value enough in this book that gives a feel for the man that makes the

book a precious one for reading. He does talk about his travels and sharing what he

considers to be the “truth” a lot too though, he recounts how he developed his philosophy

“Saytagraha” which literally means should force but actually meaning along the lines of

holding on to the truth, the book us valuable also because it helps others to find out truth

and no wonder all this values and ethics ultimately inspired Mahatma Gandhi for ethic

based journalism.

5. Day-to-Day with Gandhi: Secretary’s Diary, Vol-II By Mahadev H Desai

The book covers the era of Rowlett Satyagraha and Non-co-operation. Each page

of it bristles with Gandhi’s heroic efforts to revive the country from its age-long sleep.

That was a phase of extraordinary, even excellent, arousing and passion in the history of

India’s struggle for independence. Owing to the newness of the technique, the people

were riddled during the period, with an amazing liveliness. Before we could gain

freedom, we have offered three strong fights:

(i) The non-co-operation struggle of 1920-21

(ii) Civil disobedience fight from 1933 to 1934, and

24  

(iii) ‘Quit India’ fight of 1942 and after.

All three of them were significant struggles, but the first tussle of 1920-21 has an

importance of its own, owing to the fact that was the first time when a method of struggle

,original and very novel, not only in the history of India but in those of the world was

adopted. Gandhi was usually very quintessence of kindness in heart and hand. But he

time of a fight he used to be so possessed with lord Shiva’s all-devastating strength of

reason an uncontrolled disregard of his very life that everyone who heard or saw him he

used to catch the infectivity of his blazing spirit. “the sun never sets on the British

Empire”, that was what the Imperialists used to proclaim; and the kingdom had dug its

roots so deep into our mind that there was a class of educated men among us and Gandhi

himself once belonged to that class which believed that the country’s growth was never

more exceptional than under the British rule. But Gandhi knocked the base out of that

devastating reputation of the mighty British Empire by one single word ‘Satanic’. How

could the people, after this telling description, retain any admiration or fear of

Government officers and the police? There remained in the country none as poor as to do

veneration to these Government officers. The whole mass of Indian humanity including

women and children began to cry out, “We don’t want this Government” loudly and

openly. In this appealing language Mahavdev Desai gives us in this diary how Gandhi

performed this wonder of bringing about such a comprehensive revolution in a country as

vast as India.

Hardly any other Indian might have rendered the British kingdom as precious

services as Gandhi had. Twice in South Africa he had raised, under his personal

leadership. Ambulance corps made exclusively of Indian in order to serve disabled

soldiers in the Boer and Zulu wars. Gandhi had many a time freely risked his own life

and those of his men by taking them right the hottest front and bringing the wounded

soldiers from there to place of safety.

Gandhi was in England when he First World War of 1914-18 broke out. There

also he had established a Red Cross made up Indians. Owing to the tremendously heavy

work of organizing the Corps, he had caught there during the bitter cold of those days. He

25  

had, till then, the trust that the retention of the British connections was a sine qua non for

Indian’s progress. It was this deep faith that had encouraged him to serve the Empire with

such valuable zeal.

But even during this period of single-hearted faithfulness for the British Empire,

he had not failed to offer grim fights against some of the injustices inflicted on India by

the Empire. Over and above, the world-famous South Africa satyagraha, he had offered

in India, non-violent fights to stop the indentured labour system, the indigo exaction in

Champaran, the revenue enforced in kaira and of the Rowlett Act.

Then happened two big events which shook his trustworthiness to its roots:

(i) The Punjab killing and

(ii) The injustice dealt to the Muslim community in the matter of the Khilafat.

All the same he limited his urge for resistance and kept patience till, for the

Punjab killing, the report of the disorders inquiry committee appointed by the

Government, and for the Khilafat, the final answer of the British Cabinet, was not out. Up

to these last blows he has remained so loyal that, supporting the main resolution at the

Amritsar Congress held in December 1919, he had confirmed that the Montfort Reforms

must be accepted unconditionally and the Government given unstinted co-operation in

implementing the reforms. Tilak Maharaj had sponsored an amendment in favour of

‘Responsive Co-operation’. At the subjects Committee meeting Gandhi had taken off his

cap on the idea itself, fallen at the feet of Tilak Maharaj and entreated him to accept the

original resolution and withdraw his amendment. Fortunately, a compromise with Tilak

Maharaj had averted the need for taking votes in the open session, but ever since then the

congress had some completely under the sway of Gandhi.

Though Gandhi’s trust in the British Empire was deep, it was by no means drippy.

After he came to India in the beginning of 1915, he had determined not to deliver a single

speech for full one year in response to the sincere desire of Gokhale. That period ended in

January 1916. The first lecture he then delivered was at Benaras on February 4th (1916)

on the occasion of the foundation of the Hindu University. As H.E The Viceroy attended

26  

the function. Many Indian Princes had come there. Mrs Besant and other national leaders

were also present.

In that first speech which he made after coming to India, he said his say with

astonishing openness and with it announced, as it were, his own plan of action. Speaking

of the dross and refuse always found around the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, he called our

dirty practices and the unbridle waste found all over the country as a national dishonor.

Dealing with the costly and sparkling jewellery with which the Indian princess had

ornamented themselves, he said that the palaces of the princes and millionaires shamed

the meanness of the miserable sheds of the millions around them and added that grave

economic inequality was menace to the country. He also stated that the imposing

attendant of body-guards and aides-de-camp and the very stringent precautions and police

arrangements made en route for the protection of His Excellency the Viceroy, Lord

Hardinage, betrayed nothing but a distrust of the people. He went on to say that the C.I.D

(Criminal Investigation department) always kept a vigilant watch over all the movements

of our national leaders and, as a matter of fact, they lived like prisoners in their own land.

He also referred to the arrogance and the steel the frame of the Civil Servants. He pointed

out how, owing to the fact our educated men had to learn through the medium of a

foreign tongue, English, they lost all affinity for their families and the public. He showed

how the tyranny and injustice inflicted upon India by the British rule was responsible for

the growth of the terrorists.

Declaring that he himself was a terrorist of a kind, but, to feel afraid of anybody

on earth neither of the princes sitting Emperor George V himself, if only we had faith in

God and walked in fear of him. And then, raising his voice, he publicly announced that

the English men must go away from India or that he must go away from India or that he

must be driven out, he was not going to feel the slightest constraint in proclaiming that

conviction from house tops and was completely ready to accept death as a penalty. It was

but natural that a speech of this kind would shock some leaders sitting on the dais and

other members of the audience who prided themselves on being sober and moderate. Mrs.

Besant even wants to the length of asking Gandhi to stop. But the young blood, the hot

blood, the students, hailed his forthright statements and cried out, ‘Go on” ‘Go on’. The

27  

princes and potentates started to get up from their seats and leave the meeting and there

was a great scream. Gandhi’s speech remained unfinished at that point. But the

circumstances which Gandhi had envisaged arose within only four years of that

memorable speech. When he got the final answer that the British government was not in a

position to get any change made in the decision arrived at about the Khilafat, Gandhi

advised the Muslims gathered at the Khilafat Conference in March 1920 that there was

only one cure against it, and that was total non-cooperation with the government. At the

same time he told Hindus that at a time when the religion of their compatriots had been

attacked, it was their duty to stand by their aggrieved brothers.

The report of the Disorders inquiry committee for the Punjab and other

disturbances was published on 26-5-1920. Its recommendations were anything but

satisfactory. And even more dangerous than the report it was the resolution, which the

Indian Government framed on the basis of that report. About Sir Michael Dwyer, the

Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab, who was the arch-culprit at the back of all the cruel

barbarities perpetrated in the Punjab, the resolution stated that the Government of India

fully appreciated the high courage and efficiency with which Sir Michael had conducted

his administration in times of stress and storm. About General Dyer who had massacred

hundreds of innocent men and women in the Jallianwala Bagh, the resolution simply

stated that he had committed an error of judgment in using more military force than

needed, he was asked to resign, he was not only allowed to go Scot free, but was even

rebuked for his excesses. Some English men, on the contrary, honored him, public as the

‘Saviour of the British Empire’ and raised a fund to help him. To crown it all, even

before this report was out, the Indian Government had by an Ordinance who had been

charged by the public with atrocious crimes. Thus, besides that of the Khilafat, the grave

injustice of the Punjab became the second issue for non-co-operation.

In a letter to the Viceroy dated 26-6-1920, Gandhi informed him of his plan of

non-co-operation. As previously fixed, the programme of non-co-operation was put

before the public on the 1st of August 1920, the date that synchronized with the day of the

demise of Tilak Maharaj. Then, at the end of August 1920, the Gujarat Political

Conference was held and the non-co-operation declaration was passed there. After that he

28  

Indian National Congress gave the non-co-operation programme its formal approval by

passing a resolution in its favor at the Special Session of the Congress held in Calcutta in

the first week of September Gandhi declared at the congress that if the people carried out

successfully the boycotts of Councils, Courts, Government titles and honors, schools and

colleges, and foreign cloth, the people could, within the short span of a year, win Swaraj

outright. But people rarely pay much attention to the ‘ifs’. What they did was to catch the

slogan, ‘Swaraj in a Year’.

Under the non-co-operation programme, the boycott of law courts was to be

carried out by the creation of national panchayats (arbitration boards), that of

Government controlled schools and colleges by the foundation of national educational

institutions and that of foreign cloth by the introduction of spinning-wheels and the

production of Khadi. But as it was impossible to carry out this entire big programme

without a significant fund, it was decided to collect a crore of Rupees before the 30th

June, under the significant name of ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’.

Before the limit expired, the fund came up, not to a crore of rupees merely (ten

millions), but to a crore and quarter and Gandhi was much-admired as a ‘miracle-

worker’. Bonfires of cloth were lighted not only in big cities but in numerous villages

also. According to the programme over and above these items, one crore of members

were to be enrolled on the Congress register and twenty-lakhs (hundred-thousands) of

spinning-wheels were to be set working. This programme had thus both a destructive and

a constructive aspect. The previous type of activities, such as bonfire of foreign cloth and

boycott of courts and schools etc., was meant to sweep off old and hallowed cobwebs;

while the constructive activities in the programme, such as the opening of national

schools, the institution of Panchayats, the increase of Khadi production, the removal of

untouchability and the implementation of unity between Hindus, Muslims and other

communities were aimed at bringing about a new life through the country, increasing the

power of the people and making the country independent. It was on these constructive

activities that Gandhi laid greater emphasis.

29  

In no other subsequent fights could Gandhi set the chance to raise the morale as

well as purity of the people to as high a pitch as in this fight, because he used to be in the

later struggles arrested almost at their very start. But during this first battle the

Government was so ‘perplexed’ and ‘puzzled’ that the then Governor of Bombay had

even declared that, but for the fact that Gandhi himself stopped the struggle owing to the

ChauriChora outrage, he would have won Swaraj, because the movement had already

come to ‘within an inch of success’.

Gandhi never rested content with preaching to the people that non-co-operation

meant self-purification, self-reliance, sacrifice, courage etc. He saw it that they imbibed

these qualities in their life; and that was how Gandhi roused the country from its long

sleep. A flourish of self-purification and passion so big as be beyond the wildest hope of

anybody, swept all over the country and the people braced themselves up for sacrifice

and suffering more staggering than they ever imagined they were competent of. In order

to extend the message of no non-co-operation far and wide workers, trained to the

comforts and soft-living of cities, began to roam about on foot from village to village,

both under the burning heat of the day and the dreadful darkness of the night. It was

during that period of wonderful awakening and self-sacrifice that the most of our present

leaders found themselves and were moulded into what they are. Leaving aside

Deshbandhu Das, Pandit Motilal Nehru and some others, who were older in age than

Gandhi, it can be indubitably stated that Jawaharlal, Sardar Vallabhbhai, Raja (C. Raja

Gopalachariar), Maulana, Abdul Kalam Azad, Rajenrababu and several others were all

trained under Gandhi. Gandhi never made any compromise with his ideologies and yet he

was able to secure such solid popular support from all classes of men, as perhaps no other

leader in the world had ever won. Not that Gandhi was lacking in the spirit of

compromise, but his way of treating the people was very different. He could very quickly

distinguish between a point that involved a principle and was thus important and another

which was not so fundamental. Hence, it was that though he remained firm as a rock in a

matter where a principle was at stake, he had the spiritual power to recognize himself

completely with the people’s view and, by agreeing in dispensable, rise them workers

also whom he had behind some other states in point of armed force and wealth. The

30  

credit of this prestige of India goes to the powerful mantra of non-violence and self-

purification which Gandhi had given to India in 1920-21.

Another marked feature of this struggle lies in the fact that during that period we

saw such elevating scenes of fraternity between Hindus and Muslims as have never been

seen after the period. And it has become difficult to predict when we shall again see the

same brotherhood. Today, at least, it seems as if the old faith and enthusiasm for

Gandhi’s principles and programme have abated in the hearts even of his followers. All

the same the seeds which he had sown are bound to sprout soon or late.

This diary provides us a portrait of that period of unique awakening and virility

among the people. But there is one disappointment is that Mahavdev Desai could not stay

with Gandhi all through the period. After the Punjab massacre of April 1919, Gandhi was

allowed to go there as late as In October 1919. But Mahadev Desai could not accompany

due to typhoid. We ate thus underprivileged of the description, from Mahavdev Desai’s

charming pen, if the memorable scene between Gandhi and Tilak Maharaj at the

Amritsar Congress. Moreover, at Gandhi’s instance, Mahadev Desai stayed for some time

with Deshbanhu Das and for a much longer time with Pandit Motilal Nehru. A Bengali

gentleman, Mr Krishnadas, used to travel with Gandhi at that time and he wrote a book

‘Seven months with Gandhi’ for that period.

Another striking feature of this Diary is the brilliant letters which Gandhi wrote

during the period. When Gandhi had to suspend the Rowlett Satyagraha owing to the

outburst of violence in Ahmadabad, Bombay and the Punjab, he issued leaflets to educate

the public in the principle of non-violent non-co-operation. There are also some letters in

this diary that explain to the people of Britain and others why Gandhi was forced to give

up his faithfulness to the British Empire and start non-co-operation.

6. Gandhian Thought A study of Tradition and Modernity by M.Maharajan

Sterling Publishers,1996

The book embodies an attempt to present the fundamental ideas of Gandhi’s socio-

political philosophy and analyses the concepts of Tradition and Modernity in the light of

Gandhian Though.

31  

Tradition and Modernity both have three major aspects:

a) A system of thought with reference to which man can order his experience

into a meaningful whole.

b) A system of moral and social values which enables him to decide which

things are made to be esteemed more and which are regardless as less, and

c) A network of institutions through which a search for the good life expresses

itself in the light of Gandhi’s views on man and the universe.

It is these which largely constitute the matrix in which the modern man moves,

and it is these which shape and determine his attitudes and patterns of behavior to himself

and to others, logically they have to be consistent, psychologically hay have to form a

single whole. They continue to influence and determine his behavior and interactions.

It might be asked: Does the issue of modernization emerge in Gandhi’s model of

socio-political development? Does his adherence to ‘Charkha’ make him a traditionalist?

This is the impression one gets about Gandhi, yet this makes a superficial reading of his

ideas on the subject. A closer look at his role presents Gandhi as one of the most

conspicuous modernizers of Indian politics. Gandhi uses tradition as the instrument of

modernization.

Gandhi’s views on caste, untouchability, women, Hindu-Muslim unity, etc.,

constitute massive evidence of his being a modern and forward-looking saint in politics.

What projects Gandhi’s image on modernization is the focus on society which in order

become ideal should not merely be brotherhood. The goals that Gandhi sets for his ideal

community involve a search for new standards for measuring progress, and new

yardsticks for status and welfare.

It is shown in the book that Gandhi’s concept of social change comes to grips

with the realities of individual and public life. Gandhi proves that human ingenuity can

be superior to the most complex technology, and that human initiative is at its best when

it is used to serve the masses of people. This shows off Gandhi as a powerful social

innovator. In his goals, means as well as manners, there is a search for higher values.

32  

Gandhi conceives of a technique of non-violent mass movement which can used to lead

people in a successful for revolutionary changes in society.

Gandhi’s model of political development is the harbinger of a new system.

Economic growth takes the shape of mass employment and production for the masses.

Decentralization ensures mass participation at the grassroots level. Decentralize mass

politics does not rule out extra-constitutional forms of change. An attempt is made in the

book to show that Gandhi’s Sarvodaya project is a model of society which does not

correspond to the western model of modernization. The notion of development that

underlies this model is intensely humanist, oriented towards the needs of the community

as whole. The organic and integrated nature of Gandhi’s concept of social change makes

this model relevant to the requirements of developing countries.

In order to have a meaningful discussion on the role of the tradition in social

change, one needs to take note of its multi-dimensionality as well as its dynamism. This

forms the subject matter of discussion which is stated in Chapter 1 of the book. The

methodology adopted consists in explicating the concepts of tradition and modernity and

clarifying precisely the issues relevant for analyzing the problems.

Chapters 2 and 3 deals with some of the vital questions which come to mind about

the dilemma of tradition and modernity, they are:

a) What do tradition and modernity mean, and in what way does the

confrontation between tradition and modernity pose a special problem

today?

b) To what extent is the Indian tradition reconcilable with modernity? And in

what way is a solution possible before a final departure from one to the

other becomes inevitable?

c) Is the Hindu religious tradition largely compatible with the spirit of

modernity? And if this synthesis is possible, what are these elements of

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Indian tradition that are capable of incorporation into the new outlook that

modernity implies or stand for?

The concepts of tradition and modernity are subject to critical analysis in these

chapters; an attempt is made to examine how the current, simplified interpretations of the

process of modernization-which makes it synonymous with westernization, economic

development, etc., are inadequate. It is pointed out that the process of modernization and

that it is a continuing endeavor to determine this direction. It’s further shown that to

modernize society is to explain the limits of action.

In Chapter 4, a detailed examination of the ramifications of Gandhi’s views on

social problems is made because they are directly related to his conception of progress

and individual perfection, in dealing with the political philosophy of state and society and

his concept of freedom. After giving an account of Gandhi’s critique of Western political

ideologies, is positive conception of the ideal of Sarvodaya has been sketched.

The book attempts in the form of an epilogue to single our certain fundamental

aspects of Gandhian thinking which is neither essentially traditional nor modern but

ageless, a distillation of the finest in both the Hindu and other religious traditions of the

world. Gandhi’s entire emphasis revolves around the propositions that Indian problems

are to be resolved by indigenous methods. Gandhi’s remarkable achievement lies in

analyzing the Indian situation so objectively that it enabled him to associate himself with

specific causes which allowed him to build a national organization and a movement in a

very short period which became the most important force of modernization in India by

reforming the Indian tradition and winning the hearts of millions of people. It is shown

that Gandhian thought shows the way out of the present day crisis and provides the basis

of hope for mankind.

The studies embodied herein do not claim the virtue of totality and

comprehensiveness. Only certain features or aspects of the problem could be taken up for

discussion in view of the limitations of space.

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7. Facets of Gandhi edited by B K Ahluwalia, Lakshmi Book Store, New Delhi,

1968

Gandhi was a personality with so many different aspects that it fascinated people who

used to be absolutely apposed except in their love of Gandhi. More than a personality, he

was an organization and the portents of a new culture that had no limitations of physical

or cultural barriers. He made tremendous impact on almost every sphere of life in India,

leaving his ineradicable spiritual mark on whatever he touched, his was a common plea

that invited all races and communities of the world enjoy the ultimate pleasure of

expanding over narrow nationalism and considering the world as a common nest.

Over the years, the universality of Gandhi’s philosophy has come to acquire greater

and greater significance to the tortured soul of the entire humanity and thinkers all over

the world have turned their attention to a study of Gandhi’s life and philosophy with a

view to seeking effective and abiding solutions for the world’s complicated and

multiplying ills.

This valuable collection of essays by people of different races and culture bears

statement to the universal nature of Gandhi’s philosophy and his importance to the

present-day world. The study of the varied aspects of Gandhi’s life and his spiritual

message by authors who are significantly interested in the moral and material well-being

of the whole humankind will, inspire more studies in depth by a lager section of the

rational people.

8. Why Gandhi is Relevant in Modern India; A western Gandhian’s Personal

Discovery, Stephen Murphy, Gandhi Peace Foundation, 1991

This book is experimental in nature. The first aspect of the experiment is to discover

whether the author can succeed in justifying yet another number journey over the well-

worn terrain of Gandhi’s relevance in modern India. The reader may well be aware of the

countless works devoted to Gandhi, a very significant number have been cat as discussion

of this question of “relevance”. So significant, in fact, that despite the value of any work

35  

on Gandhi; one could be tempted to doubt the value of yet another expiration of this

question.

A second aspect of the experiment is to discover whether one who is a relative

newcomer to the study of Gandhi and to India can make a worthwhile contribution to this

on-going discussion about Gandhi relevance. It seems that the discussion has been

conducted mostly by individuals who have spent decades in the Gandhian Sarvodaya

movement, and in the study of Gandhi. The author openly concedes here that his

awareness as an individual and student of Gandhi is few years old. His knowledge of

Indian history and culture is far from complete (if such knowledge can ever be complete),

and experience of India herself is limited, to date, to three eye-opening months between

October 1986 and January 1987, during which the initial research from this book was

undertaken, and to another month in February 1989, during which the argument presented

here was re-assessed.

A third and fundamental aspect of the experiment is, of course, to attempt to carry the

readers the profound belief and faith in Gandhi’s relevance, despite all that may be said

against this position. The success of this aspect of the experiment is for the reader to

judge.

It appears necessary to make clear at the outset what I believe Gandhi represents.

Some, I told, regard him as a defender of the status quo or as a buffoon.

The author does not want to judge Gandhi as having a depth of understanding and

political leader with saintly qualities. To see him only as Father of the Indian nation and

saint, it seems to me, is a short-sighted and narrow view. Firstly, he was undoubtedly

concerned with the whole of humanity, not only with India. And he clearly wanted to

bring about, first in India and later elsewhere, a fundamental revolution in how societies

were ordered and how human beings to each other and their world. For me,( Delete it).

Gandhi was visionary and revolutionary to whom the objective and the means of

achieving it were the universal religious and moral principles of truth and nonviolence.

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9. Gandhi: a life, by Yogesh Chadha, John Wiley & Sons: New Delhi, 1997

Yogesh Chadha creates a compound, convincing, and delightfully rounded

description of one of the historical figures of all times. Yogesh Chadha made an intense

to portray the legend called Mahatma Gandhi. During his in-depth work on the subject he

had absolute access to Gandhi’s ample writings and government papers. Gandhi: A Life

reveals many aspects of Gandhi. It describes the conversion of an ordinary, hesitant

young man into a leader whose stand against a strong empire brought millions together.

From the poor and the uneducated to the intelligentsia and the prosperous, Gandhi’s

followers forged a sustained, nonviolent movement for freedom.

Apart from the life of Mahatma Gandhi, Yogesh Chadha explores the key events in

Gandhi’s scholarly, spiritual, and political development. He writes with complete

openness, never shying away from the weaknesses and the more controversial aspects of

both Gandhi’s public and personal lives. In addition, he exposes in depth for first time the

extraordinary event surrounding Gandhi’s assassination. It is a wonderful biography that

approaches its legendary subject with utmost sincerity and admiration.

10. ‘Gandhi And The Mass Movements’ written by S.R. Bakshi

The book is a description of the appearance of Mahatma Gandhi on the National

Scene of country lead a new passion and arousing among the masses of India. The book

talks about Gandhi’s experiment in Champaran which inspired him to have

confrontations with the British Government. S.R.Bakshi has mentioned about many

incidents that show Gandhi’s principles, values and ethics. A true story of a man, his

people and an empire, a honest exercise of one of the most influential lives of recent

times. Mohandas finally answers questions long asked about the third youth from India’s

west coast who became a century’s ethics and led his nation to independence: What did

Gandhi like in his daily life and in his nearest relationships? In his face-offs with an

empire, with his own bitterly divided people, with his adversaries, his family and his

greatest conflict-with himself? Answering these and other questions, and releasing the

37  

true Gandhi from his blanket of flame and myth, the book is really an important one to

know about the various aspects of the Mahatma.

11. Journalistic Ethics: Moral Responsibility in the Media, Dale Jacquette, 2007,

Pearson Education India

This book offers a significant study of key concepts and distinctive moral decision

making scenarios in journalistic ethics. It introduces moral concepts and discusses moral

evils arising for professional journalists. Illustrated all through with modem journalistic

case studies and historical background information, each topic is approached from a

twofold realistic viewpoint. The book considers moral choices facing working journalist

at the production end of the news and its impact on news consumers at the receiving end.

It assumes that the moral accountability of trained journalists is mainly to their readership

or audience shows vital interest is potentially affected by the eminence of daily news

reporting. Journalists are ethically answerable to the public whose informed decision-

making another aspects of their welfare can depend essentially on the relevant truth

content of news reports. It is in terms of the news audience that journalistic ethics must

primarily speak, for the sake of those whom the reporting of news events is eventually

meant to serve and on whose lives its content can exert a thoughtful influence for good or

bad.

The principles of professional journalistic ethics of one kind or another are necessary

should be clear enough. For the truth is that journalists have massive power. They are

regarded globally as a source of accurate information that begins with smart, antagonistic

exploratory reporting. If we believe the implications of making essential decisions on the

intentionally false report of a rouge journalist, then we begin to get a sense of the reasons

why professional ethic values are desired. Consequently, we must consider the reasons

that have influenced journalists of the need of a professional moral code. This, in turn,

requires a cautiously thought-through journalistic ethics and code in a more searching

philosophical sense.

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This book invites the reader to ask how these diverse aspects of a journalist’s

professional work are interconnected. It examines the moral rights and responsibilities of

journalist to provide what author calls ‘truth telling the public interest’. With almost 39

case studies from modern-day journalistic practice, the book demonstrates the instant

realistic implications of ethics for working journalists as well as those who read or watch

the news. His case-study approach is paired with a theoretical basis, and issues comprise

freedom of press censorship and withholding sensitive information for the greater public

good, security of secret sources, journalistic respect for confidentiality, impartiality,

standpoint and prejudice and editorial accredit and its obligations.

12. Ethics and Journalism, Sanders Karen, 2003, SAGE

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the main approaches to ethical

enquiry in journalism. It examines the ethical dilemmas faced by journalist in all areas If

the media and sets our ways o achieving ethical journalism. It explores subjects as:

private lives and the public interest, relations to sources and coverage of death, disease

and destruction. It also examines the role of regulation and self-regulation of the media

industry, role of industry codes and discusses the strategies of good journalism. The book

provides a summary of philosophical perspective relevant to the topic, contemporary

examples from print or broadcast news media, but also relevant references from literature

or film.

13. Media Ethics: Key principles for responsible practice, Plaisance Patrick Lee,

2008, SAGE Publication Inc

In the age of interactivity and powerful media scrutiny, real-life cases and examples

of actions that rise issue of media ethics are a dime a dozen. There is a vigorous range of

‘case study’ books from which media ethics instructors can select. There are helpful

collections of cases, scandals, and model conduct accessible on the web,. And the

majority of good media ethics instructors are constantly collecting their own examples

from trade journals, conventional media. And every day web postings by media ethicists

for use in their classes.

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This book is projected to do what the case study does not. After 15-year newspaper

journalism career for than 6 years, the author sturdily believes that students of the media

need a more substantive yet available source to know the rational basis for several key

values that should force accountable media practice. Not only do many media ethics case

study texts fail to offer more than nominal version of the values that should inform media

actions, they make small attempt to elucidate the philosophical justifications for asserting

the principles in the first place, they offer plenty of materials n media, yet they are often

thin in ethics and their alleged ethical thoughts too often centre in normative principles

and greatest practice rather than a correct function of the philosophy of ethics. This book

provides a firm basis for understanding and applying key principles that are all important

in the fields if moral philosophy and ethics and that also are vital to responsible media

practice. It is the product of the author’s fascination in the related literature of moral and

political philosophy.

This book also features a big number of case studies that provide to show how

key principles are applicable in the actual world of media practice. It presents more than

three dozen cases of media activities that raise ethical questions. The book provides real-

world instances of media practice that raise important ethics questions. Focused as they

are on instances of media practice more than on the ethics after them, they are restricted

in their ability to present a solid framework to: a) examine an ethical problem and b)

make a forceful, ethics-based argument.

14. Media Ethics: Truth, Fairness and Objectivity, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta,

2012(second edition), Oxford University Press India

The book throws light on the ethical issues related to the functioning of media

professionals. The book has contained various case studies and examples from India and

other countries.

In the first chapter, the book gives detail information on the origin of ethics and

overview of ethical theories of relevance of media. Then it outlines the history of media

ethics in different parts of the world.

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Chapter two provides the information about the elements of ethics such as getting

facts ‘right’, fairness, and ‘correctness’ of the language used for reporting. The chapter

highlights about the importance of Truth, Fairness and Objectivity. Chapter 3 broadly

talks about the sources of information. This chapter also carries the guidelines of Press

Council of India, the regulatory body for the print medium. Chapter 4, examines how

journalists need to act and behave while interacting with individuals, public officials and

the Judiciary. The Chapter also talks about the issues relating decency, reporting ethnic

conflicts, stereotyping on the basis of religion, caste and gender etc. this chapter also

includes the relevant guidelines of PCI.

Chapter 5 deals with the issues such as invasion of privacy and the right of the public

to receive information? Do horrific images of destruction and death help raise a public

outcry? The commercial aspect of media market has been discussed in Chapter 6, the

deals with the relationships between media owners and advertisers. Chapter 7, Media

Laws throws light on some of the legislative mechanisms to regulate the media in India.

It also provides the brief information on intellectual property rights, Contempt of Court,

and the right to information in the Indian context. Chapters 8 concentrate on sting

operations and discuss about some of the Indian media groups who have been doing it at

regular basis with special reference to Tehelka magazine. Chapter 9 deals with the ethics

of new media, while Chapter 10 is on Advertising ethics. Chapter 11 provides

information on the ethics of Public Relations. The Chapter has raised various questions in

this regard. The final chapter of the book talks about Media Freedom. The key feature of

this Chapter is an interview with the 2007 Ramon Magsaysay Award winning journalist

Palagummi Sainath and another interview with Aidan White, Secretary General of the

International Federation of Journalists on various aspects of media ethics.