Markand R Paranjape, Professor of English at Jawaharlal Nehru University, delivering a lecture at Judicial Academy here on the topic — Swaraj and Rule of law, said that Swaraj was all about inner Government mentality while the concept of rule of law was introduced to restrict the arbitrary powers of monarchs or kings of Europe stressing on the idea that rule of law was supreme and not the individual.
Paranjape is a scholar, critic, novelist, poet and columnist. He has published over 45 books, 170 academic papers and 500 newspaper/periodical articles. His recent books include Debating the ‘Post’ Condition in India, Cultural Politics in Modern India, The Death and Afterlife of Mahatma Gandhi and Transit Passenger, an Indo-Brazilian book of poems. Makarand is currently a columnist for Swarajya, DNA and Mail Today. He has been Professor of English at JNU for 17 years.
“Swaraj is really an idea of inner Government mentality and knowing the self is the basic method of attaining Swaraj. Gandhiji wanted that people should be self-regulated,” said Praranjape. He was of the view that if Swaraj is attained, people will automatically get self regulated, he added. The programme was attended by Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Justice Anant Bijay Singh, Justice BB Mangalmurty, Justice KP Deo, probationary Judicial Officers and law students.
“Gandhi had dreamt of a highly evolved society with self regulated power to be ruled by a higher law or order,” said Paranjape. It means that people, before discharging their duties, must think whether the ends of justice were being served or nation as a whole was being served or not, he added.
Rule of law, the Professor said, was all about restricting absolute power enjoyed by the monarchs and kings. He said that perception was that the law rules, not an individual, and rule of law was supreme.
“We should think about how to bring Swaraj and rule of law together which are actually in clash with each other,” said the Professor. He, however, argued about bridging the gap between India and Bharat where the missing link between the two was ‘dharma.’ “If we start taking the path of Swaraj, we will automatically become law abiding as it has power to resist oppression also,” said Paranjape. “Gandhi was for strengthening ‘atmabal’ which had no limits and could even change the mindset of the world,” he added.
Noted journalist and Rajya Sabha MP Harivansh, expressing his views on the topic – lessons learnt from Champaran Satyagrah of Mahatma Gandhi, explained how independence was attained on the basis of the experiment conducted by Gandhi in Champaran.
Talking about the lessons learnt from Champaran, he said that Gandhiji sacrificed his whole life in protecting the society from hatred from each other and also explained how remembering the Chanparan Satyagraha was in the interest of human mankind.“It teaches us how to do the homework for solving the most difficult tasks and how the experiments done in Champaran by Gandhi really helped in attaining independence from the British Empire,” said Harivansh. Gandhi was the first person, who talked about harmony between the priest and the preaching, he added. He said that Gandhi also proved it to the world that the conduct of great leaders really makes an impact on the society.
“He also made the country get a feel of people’s power and changed the things by putting a foundation at Champaran,” said the Rajya Sabha MP. Gandhi taught about survival in harmony with the nature, self controlled life and living in simplicity, but we are moving towards a consumer society and living surrounded by things which may put human society in problem, he said.
“If the world does not hear the voice of Gandhi, then we are inviting danger for the future,” said Harivansh.