The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Democracy took roots in India due to Gandhi: Jaipal Reddy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 27, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Democracy took roots in India due to Gandhi: Jaipal Reddy

By Our Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM, MARCH 26. Democracy took roots in India due to Mahatma Gandhi, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, S. Jaipal Reddy, said at a seminar on `Gandhiji and 21st Century' here on Saturday.

There was a link between Gandhiji's non-violence concept and democracy, he said. ``For decades Gandhiji had developed self-control and efficiency among lakhs of political volunteers. He provided largest possible training exercise for democrats in India. That is the reason democracy has survived in the country,'' Mr. Reddy observed.

Greatest democracy

He did not agree with the argument that democracy happened in India because of the British who ruled it. "There might be some truth in it, but consider the present situation in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Myanmar which were also ruled by the British in the past.''

India was also not only the largest democracy (one reason being its population) but also the greatest democracy in the world, because it had taken a long period for even the advanced countries like the US and the UK to introduce the universal adult franchise but in India voting right was given to every section, including women, within a few years after Independence, he pointed out.

``Our democracy is the greatest leaf of faith in mankind and this was made possible due to Gandhiji's concept of non-violence.''

Gandhiji was laughed at when he had chosen salt as an issue. But his belief was that by raising an issue concerning the common man any benefit (like freedom) achieved would reach the common people. Common man's salt was turned into a great weapon and a major issue and galvanised the freedom movement as lakhs of patriotic Indians participated in the agitation all over the country.

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