Relevance of Constructive Programme of Gandhiji in Today’s World

‘Constructive Program’ is a method to achieve ‘Purna-Swaraj’ i.e. complete Independence. It does not signify political independence but rather Economic and Social Independence.

Mahatma Gandhi started his ‘constructive Program’ in early 1940’s, as he had already foreseen political independence of India but the real independence of awareness and knowledge was nowhere to be found. He told “Complete Independence through truth and Non-violence means Independence of every unit, be it the humbles of the nation, without distinction of race, colour or creed’.

The most important factor of “Constructive Program’ as stressed by Gandhiji was communal Harmony. It was very relevant then and even now, when Godhra incidence and Akshar Dham (Temple) incidence has taught us the importance of communal harmony. Every one irrespective to his faith should show similar respect to all other faiths (religion) and should treat everyone with brotherhoodship. Until communal peace and religious indepencence (securality) is achieved no economic or social development can take place.

Another critical factor of constructive program was Removal of Untouchability. Today its not so relevant since due to efforts of government and other social organisaion this evil has been almost uprooted. Gandhiji considered it a blot on Hindustan and criticized it in anyform and anywhere. Addiction to intoxicants and narcotics was also heavily criticized by Gandhiji, though today due to strict laws it has been made a social evil.

Gandhiji gave a high importance to ‘Khadi’ industry in his constructive program. He said it brought a swadeshi mentality and abolition of foreign dependency. Today in Global economic world self sufficiency may not sound practical but Khadi approach still is relevant for Indian villages. Gandhiji always said “India lives in it villages”, thus he always focused on decentrralisatrion of industry from towns to villages. He dreamt of making villages as economic power. Its relevance has increased a lot since Manmohan Singh’s government also came to power on similar agendas of revolutionizing villages and has launched massive village development programme.

Education, as believed by Gandhiji is the character building process. Education is the most vital part of our society and even today it gains on importance. Primary education, basic education and adult education all serves the purpose of opening the third eye of a person who was in darkness.

Gandhiji always believed women to be the other side of the coin and stressed their importance in social and economical construction of India. Even for gaining political independence he used women very intelligently. They supported him in every of his programs like khadi, chakra, village industry etc.

Provincial languages and a national language could bring National Integrity to India, this was the Gandhian belief in his constructive program. He believed multilingual society to be ‘diversity in unity’. National language must be the most common one and Gandhi unhesitantly believed Hindi to be so. Its relevance is high because now and then there are small disputes among states about languages and step-motherly tendency towards National language.

“Economic Equality” as said by Gandhi means “abolishing the eternal conflict between the capital and labour”. The imparity in collection of wealth must be reduced and wealth must be spread in the masses. Gandhiji strongly believed that ‘Non-Voilent Governance is impossible with wide gulf between Rich and Hungry’. Economic stability has been the whole theme of Gandhiji’s Constructive Programme. Even today India struggles to equalise the difference is wealth of riches like Ambani’s and Birla’s with that of million of poor and hungry is every nook and corner of India.

The other factors of his constructive program were individual’s like Farmers (Kisans), Labour, Adivasis (Tribes) and students. There individuals have their own importance and relevance in the construction of India. Gandhiji has successfully utilised them in various stages of Freedom Struggle to gain Independence like formers in Champaran (Bihar) movement, Labours in Ahmedabad labour union movement and students during Non-cooperation and quit India movement. They can build up the mass and pressurize the government to bend its knees.

As quoted by Rabindra Nath Tagore (Nobel prize for literature) about Purna-swaraj- “it leads to freedom formfear, became fear of fear is the greatest darkness of all”. Gandhiji’s constructive programme aims to achieve that freedom from fear and to inculculate a feeling of freeness. Relevance of Gandhiji program will be more pronounced when India reaches the stage where its city and village become completely separated and out of context. Then movement in villages will be required, a village awareness and development would be required which could be achieved only by ’Non-violent constructive programme’.