Mahatma Gandhi and the New Millennium

This book analysis how far Gandhiji’s ideas, His principles and thoughts are relevant to the new millennium. As the clock struck the mid night hour and church bells chimed, ships hooted and sirens rent the dark night with unwonted frency, groups of people clustered together at home, hotel, resort, in street corners, plazas in churches and auditoria burst into applause, shook hands, embraced each other and cheered the advent of the new year. It was also the start of the new millennium and the blocking of another one thousand years in the nations history. Whether the old millennium ended or it was the beginning of the new one, the night gave way to the first day of January (1-1-2000) in its eternal routine. On 24 December 1999 an Indian Airlines Air Bus with 187 passengers and eight crew members was hijacked while on a flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi. Through non-violent negotiations with the hijackers and through Gandhian lines all hostages were released by the hijackers on 31-12-1999. So, in the new millennium Gandhian principles is one of the best principles for solving all problems. Gandhiji’s main aim was "the moral regeneration of human society" in which peace can be obtained. Peace begins with a harmony between individuals. Gandhi lived and worked for the establishment of such relationship among individuals. An attempt is made to analyse Gandhian approach to world peace. World peace is an epithet that is on the lips of all right thinking men. But has become an elusive concept. Gandhiji has often been described as an apostle of peace. He strove and died for peace. Gandhiji’s approach to communal harmony has a meaning and is a meaningful step in the proper direction but this single step should not be considered as a panacea or single pill or tablet course for the eradication of a serious disease of communalism. Gandhiji considered woman as the incarnation of Ahimsa. An attempt is made here to analyse the relevance of Gandhian thought in the new millennium. The relevance and the application of Gandhian ideas to the present problems of our economy and economic planning have become particularly more significant today with the objective of attaining social justice, eradication of poverty, unemployment, reducing of social and economic inequalities, creating better opportunities for the weaker sections of the society, the small farmers and the landless labourers. This book shows how Gandhian ideas, His principles and thought are relevant in the new millennium to the present day crisis and provides the basis for hope for mankind. The essence of Gandhian thought is summed up in one word-Sarvodaya, which aims at the welfare of all. The Gandhian philosophy is the affirmation of the relations between man and man, the citizen and the state, of the truth that man is the spirit that changes individuals and institutions. This fundamental truth links religion ethics and politics in Gandhian thought.