LESSONS ETERNAL AND EPHEMERAL — Differentiate Between Them

LESSONS ETERNAL AND EPHEMERAL Differentiate Between Them T HERE are two aspects to the struggle of the Indian independence movement under Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. These two aspects have been exemplified in the independence movement by Gandhi as: 1. Civil Disobedience 2. Home Rule The main ideology behind the Civil Disobedience movement was to defy the laws made by the British. It was the active, professed and non-violent refusal to obey the laws and commands of the British government in India. It was a message to the British rulers of India that, ‘We will not accept your rule and your laws over us.’ It was a demand to ‘Quit India’. Another instance of the civil disobedience movement was the non-violent protest against the British-imposed salt tax that led to the famous Dandi Salt March. 'Civil Disobedience' was a temporary movement, whereas 'Home Rule' has a permanent significance. The second feature of the independence movement under Gandhi was Home Rule, also called Self Rule or Swaraj. This meant self-governance and independence from foreign domination. It advocated the discarding of the British political, economic, bureaucratic, legal, military and educational institutions and laying a foundation for a democratic and independent India. In his struggle for Indian independence, Gandhi had given Indians two campaigns, but their validity was not the same. Civil Disobedience was a temporary movement, whereas Home Rule has a permanent significance. There is absolutely no relevance for Civil Disobedience in India today. This matter is not restricted only to the independence struggle under Mahatma Gandhi but is a natural outcome of every mission and every struggle. In every mission—whether it is a religious mission or a political one—there are certain issues that are temporary and others that are