Gandhi Now
By
Salman Rushdie
About the Author:
Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born British writer well-known for his allegorical novels
which examines the historical and philosophical issues in society through his characters. He is
known for humour and dramatic prose style. He was awarded the booker prize twice and was
knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his contributions to literature.
About the Text:
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In “Gandhi Now”Salman deconstructs the image of Gandhi which is in the minds of the
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people within India and abroad. He makes the readers rethink about the personality of Gandhi
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and writes about the great leader in a different and shocking perspective.
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Summary:
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Salman begins the essay by talking about the image of Gandhi in the advertisement of
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Apple ironically saying Gandhi is modeling for Gandhi. He states that Apple is making use of
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Gandhi to convey a message about its corporate philosophy.
Salamn claims that the advertisement is ironical because Gandhi was a man who hated
modernisn and technology and preferred a simple village life. He even would found the term
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“word processor” hateful.
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Now Rushdie asks us to think different and says in his youth, Gandhi was a modern and
westernized lawyer. Birla, an industrialist and very close friend of Gandhi, had said that Gandhi
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was modern than he himself was. But he chose to go back to the life of middle ages. Now the
Apple doesn’t want people to go back in the ages. It wants to use Gandhi as a tool to popularize
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its values in identifying it with the values of Gandhi which made him a saintly figure.
Rushdie says may the Apple wanted to compare itself to Gandhi. Gandhi, a small and
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puny man, fought against the British rule and chased it out of India. Similarly, Apple a mal
startup will overthrow the big Mac. Here Rushdie refers to the parable of David and Goliath
from the Bible.
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Rushdie says Gandhi is up for grabs and can be used any one wants. He is treated no
more as a personality but is thought to be as a concept and a cultural symbol. He values given
importance over his personality.
Richard Attenborough’s movie Gandhi portrayed his as a great saint, a guru and a saviour
like Jesus Christ who with his philosophy of non-violence made the British ashamed of
themselves and leave India. The film suggested that your morality will inspire the morality of
the enemy making him leave.
This movie had a great impact on the contemporary freedom struggles. It made Gandhi
an international personality and a great inspirational force.
Rushdie says the idealized Gandhi is not perfect. He is dull and boring lacking humour
and intelligence. Further, Rushdie wonders whether Gandhi can still be called a man because ha
has been raised to the status of a saint and used as a concept for various purposes. He says that
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the personality is full of contradictions.
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Rushdie brings in a number of contradictions:
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1. The meaning of his name is contradictory
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2. He fought bravely against British but was afraid of dark
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3. He insisted in the importance of being united. Bu he was not united in thought wih
Jinnah, which led to the presidency of congress denied to Jinnah. This resulted in
Jinnah withdrawing from Congress starting a separatist Muslim League which
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eventually ked to partition of India.
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4. Gandhi was said to be modest and selfless. But when Jinnah was attacked for not
calling him “Mahatma”. He remained silent.
5. He lived the life of an ascetic. But Sarojini Naidu said it cost the nation a fortune to
support Gandhi lead such a life.
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6. He supported villages over cities and agriculture over industries. But he was
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dependent on his friend who was a big industrial magnate.
7. His hunger strikes could not stop violence and deaths, but he used the same weapon
to fight against the workers whoc were fighting for thei rights against his industrialist
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friend.
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8. He proposed to improve the condition of the untouchables now called Dalits. But
those never accepted him as their leader and chose Dr. Ambedkar. the rival of Gandhi
as their leader.
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9. He was the creator of number of political philosophies but he himself was far away
from politics leading a different involving in things that are not related to politics or
freedom struggle.
10. He wanted the youth to follow brahmacharya. But he was married at the age of
sixteen and was much into physical pleasures when his father was breathing his last.
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11. He made the independence struggle a mass national movement but the India that
emerged after independence was divide and committed towards modernization and
industrialization. India after independence was nation of Gandhi’s vision but it was
that of Nehru’s vision.
12. He believed the non-violence and passive resistance could move any force. Later, he
himself accepted that they worked with the British but would not have worked with
other forces.
13. He was acclaimed as the father of independence struggle but he kept himself away
from the independence celebrations as towards the end the freedom struggle became
violent and he did not appreciate the fact that non-violence was not practiced.
14. Further Rushdie states that there were other reasons for the British to loosen its hold
on India.
15. Gandhi visualized india to be a highly religious country but what emerged after
independence was a secular state. Even the staunch Hindu politicians who are
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determined to make India ahindu country do not consider Gandhi as their leader or
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even mention his philosophy in their political agenda.
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Rushdie says that people today do not have time to praise the personality of Gandhi or analyze
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even the real causes of independence because they are too busy to worry gather and assimilate
the many-sided truths. He adds that Gandhi has lost relevance or his importance in the country
where e is called the father of the nation.
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The author states again that Gandhi has lost his relevance and the few handful Gandhians who
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exist now are called cranks.
Rushdie brings the viewpoints of various people who were with Gandhi to highlight the
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contradictions in his personality.
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Gandhi who gave up cosmopolitan life has become an international icon and a citizen of the
world..
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