Effect of Gandhian thoughts on the ideology of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan |
P. V.
Narasimha Rao
Gandhi can well be
described as truly the greatest theorist and practitioner of
non-violence and tolerance of our times. He sought to awaken a novel
moral consciousness in humankind. It is, therefore, natural that
thinkers of sensitivity and distinction throughout the world
Pankaj Kumar Dubey
Research Scholar-Education
Mahatma Gandhi
Kashi Vidyapeeth,
Varanasi,U.P.,India ndia ndia
The Philosophy of Mahatma
Gandhi is unique and wonderful and useful for all human society in
any perspective. The ideology of Mahatma Gandhi affected the
thoughts of many thinkers in which one is Loknayak Jayaprakash
Narayan. Jayaparakash Narayan was a great socialist thinker of India
, who gave major contribution in the development of this country.
His contribution in social reform was very important. He left
politics in 1954 to proceed to Gandhi’s experiments of social
reform. His ideology was changed time to time in positive direction
and gave major contribution for the welfare of society. This paper
presents the effect of Gandhian thoughts on his ideology.
Introduction :
Jayaprakash Narayan was a
freedom fighter, politician, social reformer and socialist thinker.
After independence of India he did the work of social reform on
ground level. He was linked with Bhoodan, gramdan movement and he
also tried to solve the problem of Naxlism by non – violent
technique. During the emergency period of 1975 – 1977 he called on
Total Revolution to change the corrupt and autocratic system. He was
with those person who worked on the way of Gandhian thoughts.
Before independence he was not in
favour of non – violence, he did not follow the Gandhian thoughts.
He supported violence for freedom movement. But after independence
he tried to complete the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, and he tried to
complete the aim of Gandhiji’s Lok Sevak Sangh.
The ideology of Jayaprakash
Narayan is mainly influenced by Marxism and Gandhian thoughts.
Effect of Marxism :
When Jayaprakash Narayan
went to America to take higher education he came to be influenced by
Marxism. He said “freedom still remained the unchanging goal, but
the Marxian Science of revolution seemed to offer a surer and
quicker road to it than Gandhi’s technique of civil disobedience and
non – cooperation. The thrilling success of the great Lenin,
accounts of which we consumed with unsatiated hunger, seemed to
establish beyond doubt the supremacy of the Marxian way to
revolution.
At the same time , Marxism
provided another beacon of light for me: equality and brotherhood.
Freedom was not enough. It must mean freedom for all-even the
lowliested - and this freedom must include freedom from
exploitation, from hunger , from poverty” .
Effect of Gandhian thoughts:
After murder of Mahatma
Gandhi the ideology of Jayaprakash Narayan was changed to positive
direction, moved from violence to non-violence. He came in the light
of Gandhian thoughts and his ideology of socialism was transformed
into sarvodaya. The effect of Gandhian thoughts on his ideology is
pointed out in the following points:-
I. Socialism:
In the previous stage he did
not understand the effectiveness of the thoughts of Gandhiji But
later on he came to know the power of Gandhian thoughts. His
ideology of socialism was transformed into sarvodaya. According to
him violence is not necessary for success of socialism. By changing
the ideology of human being socialism can be established and this
socialism is a real and perfect socialism. He said, “My regret is
that I did not reach this point in my life’s journey while Gandhiji
was still in our midst. However some years back it became clear to
me that socialism as we understand it today can not take mankind to
the sublime goals of freedom, equality, brotherhood and peace.
Socialism, no doubt, gives promise to bring mankind close to those
goals than any other competing social philosophy. But I am persuaded
that unless socialism is transformed into sarvodaya, those goals
would remain beyond its reach.”
II. Non-Violence:
During the freedom movement
Jayaprakash Narayan accepted the way of violence, But after
independence when he came into the light of sarvodaya he was for
away from violence, and moved towards non- violence.
He said, “Without non- violence real
socialism can not be established. Socialism of people can be
established by changing the ideology of every person, and to move
them towards sarvodaya thinking.”
III. Spiritualism:
In earlier stage he did not
believe in spiritualism but after the effect of Gandhian thoughts he
believed in spiritualism. According to him education of spiritualism
is necessary because without spiritualism, non- violence can not
stay for a long time. He said “there should be proper coordination
between education of spiritualism and materialism”.
IV. Social Reform :
Jayaprakash Narayan said
“Gandhji had no time to give a practical demonstration of his non-
violent technique for changing and reconstructing society. No doubt,
he had spoken and written much about it, but before he was able to
put it into practice he was cruelly snatched away from our midst”.
Jayaprakash Narayan
Completed the remaining work of Mahatma Gandhi with non- violent
technique. He gave practical demonstration of non- violent technique
for social revolution and reconstructing society. These are
exemplified in his work for bhoodan, gramdan and gramraj movement.
V. Non- Violent
Revolution :
After freedom movement
Jayaprakash had leading role in non- violent revolution against
corrupt system and autocratic administration during the emergency
period in 1975-1977. In this revolution he applied Gandhian thoughts
of non- violent revolution and gave major contribution in the
establishment of Socialist Democratic Government.
Conclusion :
In the earlier stage
Jayaprakash followed the principles of Marxism but later on he
followed the way of Gandhian thoughts . The effect of Gandhian
thoughts on him is decribed in following points.
· His socialist thinking was
transformed into sarvodaya.
· He believed in the power of
non-violence.
· He did not believe in
spiritualism before 1954 but after the effect of Gandhian thoughts
on him he believed in spiritualism.
· He transformed Gandhian
thoughts about social change and reconstruction of society, in
practice.
References
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