Duty of a Non-Co-Operator – Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

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Duty of a Non-Co-Operator – Mahatma Gandhi

 

It may be said that non-co-operation will be suspended at the forthcoming Congress session. However, this does not imply that non-co-operators will suspend work. In fact, what was only an illusion of non-co-operation will be suspended. Where there is love, both co-operation and non-co-operation is in fact one and the same thing. Whether the father and son co-operate or non-co-operate with each other, both the attitudes should be the fruit of love. Co-operation is not worth the name when born out of selfishness; it is rather a kind of bribe. So also non-co-operation born out of hatred is a grave sin. Both these should be eschewed. The non-co-operation that was introduced in I920 was rooted in love; maybe the people were not aware of this and joined it out of hatred. Nevertheless, if all the leaders had understood its true nature and acted in accordance with it, we could have avoided the bitter results that have followed.

We did not understand peaceful non-co-operation. Hence hatred increased, and we have now to suffer the fruit of our own actions. That hatred which inspired our non-co-operation with the British has now raised its head within our own ranks. That hatred has appeared not only between Hindus and Muslims but also between co-operators and non-co-operators. Hence in order to prevent such perverted results of non-cooperation, we have to suspend it.

This does not mean merely that lawyers who would like to take up their legal practice or students who would like to return to Government schools could do so without a sense of shame. In fact, those lawyers who have grasped the principle of non-co-operation will not resume practice; nor will such students return to Government schools. The suspension of non-co-operation should result in our being repentant, in the non-co-operator embracing the co-operator, winning the latter over through love and bearing no ill-will towards him. The latter may take assistance from the Government, be he a Government pleader, a Government servant, or a member of the Legislative Assembly; still the former should make friends and associate with them all and help and be helped by them in resolving disputes between Hindus and Muslims, in removing untouchability, in boycotting foreign-cloth, in getting rid of the addiction to liquor and opium and in many such tasks. It is for the non-co-operator to take the lead in these tasks. In doing so, his tact, discretion, civility, loves of peace and humility will be put to the test. It is in winning over the co-operator through love that the quality of the non-co-operator will be tested. False flattery and rudeness should both be avoided. The very first lesson consists in all of us uniting in order to strike the middle path.

 

Reference:

Navajivan, 19-10-1924