From: mrv@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (madhukar.r.vadyala)
Subject: Re: Men like Gandhi and J.P : Era of Herosim : OVERRATED ????
Summary: Gandhi
Keywords: Gandhi , Freedom Struggle
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 18:24:36 GMT

>>Subject: Men like Gandhi and J.P : Era of Herosim
>>Era of heroism
>>
>>When the British Government in a fell swoop in the small hours of
>>aug 9, 1942, had Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and the other leaders
>>of the INC arrested in Bombay, it would hardly have believed that
>>almost exactly five years later it would be doing just what it was
>>asked to by these heroic freedom fighters - Quit India.  
>>	Winston Churchill would also not have known when he declared
>>with all the arrogance of an imperialist that he had not become the
>>King's First Minister to preside over the liquidation of the British
>>Empire that Clement Attlee and the others who had taken over from him
>>at the end of the II World War would be doing exactly that in 1947.
>>	The man who, Churchill had called with revolting rudeness a
>>'half-naked fakir' had made history in a manner beyond his
>>comprehension.  The amazement felt by those around the world over the
>>achievement of a frail old man and the men and women he had led in
>>persuading a mighty power to give up an empire it had ruled for a
>>century and a half was expressed by Albert Einstein with striking 
>>aptness when he said that generations to come would scarce believe that
>>a man like Gandhi had walked on earth.
>
>>..................	
>.....details of Jayaprakash Narayans movement etc , deleted .
>> [Hindu Aug  10 1992]
>
>
>Hi! Friends,
>	This is not an attempt to belittle Mahatma Gandhi's greatness 
>and contribution to the Indian freedom struggle. But here is something 
>which has been bugging me for a long time. 
>
>IS MAHATMA GANDHI'S [AND MANY OTHERS ] CONTRIBUTION  A BIT OVERRATED ??
>
>If I remember my history books correctly, many nations in Asia and Africa
>became independent in the years 1946-1950. Doesn't that indicate something?
>
>I am not suggesting that India  would have any way become independent then
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>and so we should not have done anything. 
>---------------------------------------
>
>What bugs me is the total glorification and deification of individuals  and
>organisations without giving due credit to the other forces at work.
>
>Any comments from the historians out there ?
>
>Looking forward to a healthy discussion without Gandhi bashing.
>
>
>Amar Ananthapadmanabha
>	amara@informix.com

As a matter of fact, Adolf Hitler and his world wars too are indirectly
responsible/have enhanced the prospects of freedom for India.  This
is no way putting down the  sacrifices of our freedom fighters.  I have the
greatest respects for them.   Hitler has definetely scared the hell out
of britishers with  a rain of bombs on london.  I am not supporting 
what hitler has done to the jews.  He may not have intended,
but the WWII resulted in the creation of Israel.


Coming back to Gandhi, it is hisorically always true that  only a few
get the credit.  Here exposure and publicity are the keywords.  I donot 
know what would have been the course of history if gandhi was not there,
but he is an exceptional person.  He had the guts to stand against 
Britishers.  His idea of self reliance and non violence make more
sense now than ever.  Gandhi and Nehru together made some
blunders  too.

I wish Subash and sardar patel and others like them lived longer.


V. M. Reddy

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|   The opinions expressed are my own.					|
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