Every year, Bihar celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival to Champaran. But Gandhi for politicians has become more of an image-building necessity than respectful reminiscence. Most people resent this brazen lip service
The centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Champaran in 1917 has been celebrated with much fanfare in Bihar. As Gandhi had reached Muzaffarpur via Patna before he left for Motihari in Champaran, these places have been centres of main activities. The news from the media and the public response to the event are a queer mix of sentiments and feelings. Everywhere the Mahatma is an elusive presence — enticing and affable, but overwhelmed by things he would not have liked. He is a political commodity for use in the power game. Various activists are having a merry time; a small number of true Gandhians is remembering Gandhi solemnly, and the common man is bewildered by the whirlwinds of events and change.
Gandhi under siege: The celebrations commenced in Patna on April 10, the day Gandhi had arrived there a century ago. An impressive intellectual meet was organised there in which some members of the Gandhi family participated. The same day, celebrations started at Bihar University campus at Muzaffarpur to commemorate Gandhi’s stay there — with a daylong seminar and a public meeting on the langat Singh (lS) College Campus in the evening. Other activities continued till April 15, when Gandhi left for Motihari, where a series of programmes awaited to mark the event.
I was present at the main events at Muzaffarpur. The seminar was more interesting in its diversity of approaches than its focus. Its salient feature was the participation of the family members of those who had worked with Gandhi in Champaran. Most of them resembled almost their ancestors in 1917, as they bemoaned their destiny.
The public meeting in the evening was impressive. The meeting ground at the lS College campus was heavily barricaded and guarded by hundreds of police personnel. There were two stages — one small to replay Gandhi’s talk with JM Wilson, General Secretary, Bihar Planters’ Association, in 1917, and the other, a massive one, for the Chief Minister and his entourage. Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, landed from the helicopter right on the meeting ground.
The programme started with a dramatisation of the historic talk between Gandhi and Wilson. Two professors of history played their role — Bhojnandan Prasad Singh as Gandhi and CPN Sinha as Wilson. The act went off perfectly well. In his typical Gujarati dress and mannerism, Gandhi charmed the audience instantly; Sinha, as Wilson, was dignified even in his mischief.
The public meeting started thereafter. After the ornate and elaborate preliminaries, Nitish Kumar spoke in his inimitable sober tone and with a sense of commitment, but his colleagues continued without saying anything worthy of note. In the midst of elaborate paraphernalia and massive convoy of vehicles carrying peoples’ representatives, administrative personnel, and the Armed Forces escorting them, Mahatma Gandhi on his revisit must have felt bewildered and virtually under siege. Maybe, the delightfully lighted building of lS College was the only endearing sight for him.
The Mahatma in political bazaar: Nitish Kumar’s speech sounded impassioned but lacked any concrete programme matching the historic occasion. In the political rhetoric and fanfare, Gandhi’s basic vision for a free India, especially his social and economic programme, was largely absent in most of the events. There was hardly any talk on basic education, sanitation and health, austerity, swadeshi and self-sustenance. Of course, the Mahatma’s views on communal harmony was touched upon again and again, probably with an eye on vote. Virtually no political party in Bihar or elsewhere has any constructive programme to emulate Gandhi. He is a political mascot marched around elections; a sacred stone to touch to get rid of the sins committed in the name of public interest.
People’s take: Yet, Gandhi, on his revisit has had a special appeal among the masses, especially women and the youth. During his procession from the Muzaffarpur railway station to lS College, Gandhi was cheered by thousands all along the road and showered with flowers. Professor Singh (Gandhi) informs that he receives calls of appreciation; and strangers bow to him whenever they recognise him. Recently, a couple of ladies burst into tears of respect when they recognised him and he had to respond with corresponding sentiments. He has been honoured by local organisations and is getting invitation from remote villages for an audience and his blessings.
People know he is not the real Gandhi, but fallen amidst unending problems of life with none to solve, even an imitated appearance of the Mahatma Gandhi is a reassuring experience. This is reminiscent of the 1940s when innocent villagers in remote areas believed him to be the reincarnation of lord Ram who had appeared to kill Ravan — like the British and their collaborators — all who exploited people and played mischief. No wonder, people thronged him for good luck and relief from miseries.Then it were the British but who represent them nowIJ
In my native village, a remote hamlet in Siwan district of Bihar, I met Gandhi in his many avatars. I heard of another Gandhi who took over from the Muzaffarpur protagonist on way to Motihari. But could there be two GandhisIJ The innocent villagers asked. What was the need for another one who looked older than Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1917IJ Maybe, it was a political game, people around me concluded.
The village folks have followed the media on the celebrations, and are reflecting on it from their own perspective. In fact, they are organising discussions on Gandhi and celebrating the centenary in their own ways. They relate Kumar’s liquor ban to Gandhi and welcome it enthusiastically; women are extremely happy. But they wobble on talking about communal harmony, which is constantly stoked by political parties to gain political advantages.
(The writer is former Associate Professor, University of Delhi)