Gandhiji and Non-Violence

Gandhiji led India to the dawn of Indian independence through a long struggle against the colonial powers. He inspired, guided, challenged and led millions of Indians to join the struggle for freedom, not with weapons of mass destruction and a gun-wielding army, but with the weapons of truth, non-violence and peace. Even when the conditions were oppressive and the challenges insurmountable, Gandhiji remained steadfastly committed to the weapon of non-violence for his struggle for freedom.

Gandhiji believed that it is irrational and self-contradictory to use violence to achieve the goal of a peaceful society. He therefore encouraged massive civil disobedience movements like the Salt March of 1930 and the Quit India Movement of 1942 which, according to him, were a just means to achieve just ends. He strongly believed that violence and hatred were not just a means for winning freedom.

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