Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru: A Historic Partnership, 1916-1948 (Volume 1)

This is the first volume of a three-volume study of the historic partnership between Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, the two principal architects of Indian Independence, by Madhu Limaye, himself a participant in the freedom movement and an outstanding intellectual. Their unique relationship is a fascinating subject for study. Not two personalities could have been so dissimilar in their background and psychological make up. It was the ideal of freedom that gave a point to Jawaharlal’s existence. He was drawn to Gandhi not only because he embodied the ideal of Swaraj but because his programme and method gave an outlet to Jawaharlal’s restless energy. In the first decade of their relationship Jawaharlal was a loyal follower of Gandhi, although he did not share his spiritual ideal. He was nonetheless profoundly influenced by his ends-and-means philosophy. Gandhi found in Jawaharlal an uncompromising champion of freedom, a man of integrity and truth, unmatched industry and great drive. Gandhi’s choice of successor was deliberate and not based only on emotion. Gandhi felt Jawaharlal was the best of the lot. After his trip to Western Europe, and Soviet Russia in 1926-27 Jawaharlal emerged as the leader of the “republican army” and articulate champion of a difference threatened to reach a breaking point in precipice telling Gandhi that after all he was his “child in politics though sometimes an errant and a truant one”. Gandhi resisted for two years the dynasty-conscious Motilal’s proposal to make Jawaharlal Congress President, but ultimately decided to “pitchfork” him into office in a bid to renew and broaden its appeal to the young people. Under Jawaharlal’s impulse Gandhi himself switched to Complete Independence and launched the great Civil Disobedience campaign in 1930. Jawaharlal gradually pushed the Congress towards a policy of the abolition of zamindari system, end to princely autocracy, and state ownership of key industries as the foundation of economic development.