GANDHI S HIND SWARAJ: THE FIRST SUBALTERN S SPEECH Dhananjay Tripathi Department of English & Modern European Languages

University 0f Allahabad & Dr. Shri Krishan Rai Asst Prof NIT Durgapur

Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi is not merely the name of a person who played a pivotal role in Indian freedom struggle and emergence of India as a Nation but it is a kind of a phenomenon or philosophy which has shaped the life and behaviour of multitudes of people in the 20th century and becomes a philosophy determining the way we look and respond towards the life. Gandhism has always been there to issue forth solutions to some of the most complex and anxious problems relating to all the aspects of modern life. In fact Gandhism is a journey in itself from a question to a solution. Gandhi ji wrote his famous text Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule during his sea voyage from London to South Africa which is called Sermon on the Sea (1908/9) and expressed his views regarding Indian Independence, Colonialism, Modernism and Western civilization. The book has 20 chapters which are cast in the form of a dialogue between Reader , a nameless interlocutor and the Editor , none other than Gandhi himself. The book, after its publication in India , was banned by government because it contained matter declared to be seditious (Vinay Lal Gandhi s west , west s Gandhi New literary History) However the censor admitted that the work neither advocated upon revolt nor the use of physical force against the British government but its author was a proponent of passive

resistance against British supremacy ( Vinay Lal Gandhi s west , west s Gandhi New literary History) In his so called passive resistance Gandhi before his apotheosis of Mahatma, has not only sown his spiritual weapons such as Ahimsa , Satyagrah, Civil Disobedience , Untouchability, Non cooperation , Fast and the Swadeshi policy, but also disseminated his tract with claims, notions , tenant and impressions which make it a first Subaltern s speech .

The word Subaltern is etymologically made up of two words Sub means under and Ulter means Other which was first time used by Gramsci in the perspective of literature he used it as a code word for Proletariat. In post colonial theory it refers to marginalized groups and other lower classes. And thus Hind Swaraj is a first Subaltern s speech against the hegemonic power structure of the occidentals.

Gandhi has clearly indicated his rejection of the British rule and his consciousness of suppression by Britishers when he defines Swaraj in chapter 4, in effect it means this: we want English rule without English man you want the tiger s nature but not the tiger This is a clear cut indication of the fact that though Gandhi vindicates English rule, he is conscious of his subjection to Britishers . In this regard Gandhi is aware of and against the racism which, according to Frantz Fanon, generates harmful psychological constructs which blinds the black men to his subjection to the white norms and alienates his consciousness (Black Skin and White Mask, 1952). Gandhi is not only aware of the subjection but conscious of also. He not only criticizes the Raj but he is carping to the Indian s roles and behaviour in India s downfall and in this regard he is not at all alienated his consciousness to quote from Hind Swaraj This English have not taken Indian ; we have given it to them . They are not in India because of their strength, but

because we keep them .The Hindus and Mohammedans were at daggers drawn. This too gave the company its opportunity and thus we created the circumstances that gave Company its control over India (Ch. 7&8) . Gandhi s Hind Swaraj as a first subaltern s speech is not only a conscious reflection of the problems caused by colonial hegemony of Europe but a first step towards colonial emancipation because this is a tract which reclaims the great Indian history, a solution which was suggested by Said in Culture and Materialism and Fanon in Black Skin and white Mask 1952 Gandhi claims Indian past when he says We were one nation before they (the English) came to India . One thought inspired us. Our mode of life was the same. It was because we were one nation that they were to establish one kingdom. Subsequently they divided us. And we Indians are one as no two English men are (ch 9). Aagain he claims the great national integrity of India in chapter 10 when he says Indian can not cease to be one nation because people belonging to different live in it. The introduction of foreigners does not necessarily destroy the nation; they merge in it. A country is one nation only when such a condition obtains in it. That country must have a faculty for assimilation. India has ever been such a country

In Postcolonial criticism language has played a quite important role as Fanon says, To speak French . means above all to assume a culture . WB Yeats who led the Irish Movement was critical to the English language and advocated Irish vernacular for poets. Similarly Gandhi is also critical to English language and to those who speak it he says English knowing Indians have not hesitated to cheat and strike terror into the people. It is we, the English knowing Indians that have enslaved Indians, the curse of nation will not rest upon the English but upon us (ch. 18). He clearly rejects English when he says The common language of India is not English but Hindi (ch20).

As a speaker of marginalized society Gandhi is sympathetic to the Indian Civilization and harsh to that of the westerns. He says The tendency of Indian civilization is to elevate the moral being that of the western civilization is to propagate immorality (ch13).Again in chapter 6&8 He bitterly criticize the English civilization and English when he says Formerly, men were made slaves under physical compulsion. Now they are enslaved by temptation of money. ... There are now diseases of which people never dreamt before, and an army of doctors is engaged in finding out their cures.This is a test of civilization. This civilization takes note neither of morality nor of religion. Civilization seeks to increase bodily comforts, and it fails miserably even in doing so. Civilization is not an incurable disease, but it should never be forgotten that the English people are at present afflicted by it. However, he is not bitterly critical to western people and civilization I can never subscribe to the statement writes Gandhi that all English men are bad. Many English men desire home rule for India. ( Vinay Lal Gandhis West, Wests Gandhi, New Literary History) He was not in favour of the expulsion of the English men he says if the English

become Indianised we can accommodate them . If they wish to remain in India along with their is no room for them (Vinay Lal, Gandhis West , Wests Gandhi New Literary History)

It means that as a subaltern he was aware of the role of the western civilization in European hegemony and colonialism. He was fully aware that without the rejection of western civilization we would not be able to end the colonial era. That is why he propagated the movements like Swadesi, and clearly rejected the western way of life when he said but

one effort is required and that is to drive out western civilization. All else will follow (Hind Swaraj p 82).

To conclude, one can say that this first definitive work by Gandhi is not a tract to justify or reject something though the strong tone of an Other , Marginalized , Suppressed, or Subaltern can be noticed throughout the hundred pages of the tract.However, after delving deep into it, one will feel that it is a philosophical speculation on the burning issues of the time. It is a deep brooding on the nature of reality of self-rule. It is a kind of meditation and musing over the very nature of Swaraj which proclaims a separate identity of the subaltern. Swaraj is not simply an independence from the Occidental but it is a self-realization and self-control for which Gandhi admits:

I would warn the reader against thinking that I am today aiming at Swaraj described therein (Hind Swaraj) I know that India is not ripe for it .It may seem an impertinence to say so. But such is my conviction. I am individually working for the self rule pictured therein (Hind Swaraj). But today my cooperate activity is undoubtedly devoted to the attainment of the parliamentary swaraj in a day . (Young India Journal,1921)

Works cited 1. Gandhi, MK Hind Swaraj Navjivan Press India 1938 2. Lal. Vinay Gandhi s West, West s Gandhi New Literary History 2009, University of Virginia 3. Barry, Peter Beginning Theory Viva Books Pvl New Delhi 2008 4. Ashcroft, Bill, Griffiths, Gareth and Tiffin, Helen Post- Colonial Studies Routledge London, 2000