Non-Violent strike and 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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Non-Violent strike and Mahatma Gandhi 

 

The pledge is not designed, as some fear, to eliminate strikes and no-tax campaigns. But I must not at once confess that I have in my neither mind strikes nor no-tax campaigns as part of the forthcoming struggle, if it comes at all. In my opinion the present atmosphere is not conducive to non-violent strikes and non-violent no-tax campaigns on an extensive scale. 1

I am told that students are about to go on a strike. The date set is the 9th. I must say that it will be a wrong step. As I pointed out yesterday, to resort to strikes to gain one’s end is not a good thing. I have no doubt in my mind that it is not non-violence. I have conducted many non-violent strikes. It cannot be said that every strike is non-violent and every strike is legitimate. Students should confine themselves to studies and keep away from strikes. I hope they will listen to me. I may again mention that I have had a long experience spanning some fifty years of non-violent strikes. I carried it on successfully not in India but in South Africa. I do not remember any instance when it failed me in anything I had undertaken. It cannot fail. If your cause is just and if what you are doing is the only course open to you, you are bound to succeed. 2

 

References:

1. Harijan, 27-1-1940
2. Prarthana Pravachan—II, pp. 275