Gandhi and Obama

World has received a news that Obama got Nobel for peace. Many contradictory opinions are coming about whether he deserves the Nobel or not. Nobel was not given to Gandhi though he was nominated for five times  in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and, finally, a few days before he was murdered in January 1948. His contribution to peace is world-known. The selection committees had given different reasons why Gandhi was not conferred the honour, like "he was too much of an Indian nationalist" and that he was "frequently a Christ, but then, suddenly an ordinary politician". In South Africa Gandhi worked to improve living conditions for the Indian minority. This work, which was especially directed against increasingly racist legislation, made him develop a strong Indian and religious commitment, and a will to self-sacrifice. With a great deal of success he introduced a method of non-violence in the Indian struggle for basic human rights. The method, satyagraha – "truth force" – was highly idealistic; without rejecting the rule of law as a principle, the Indians should break those laws which were unreasonable or suppressive. Each individual would have to accept punishment for having violated the law. However, he should, calmly, yet with determination, reject the legitimacy of the law in question. This would, hopefully, make the adversaries – first the South African authorities, later the British in India – recognise the unlawfulness of their legislation. When Gandhi came back to India in 1915, news of his achievements in South Africa had already spread to his home country. In only a few years, during the First World War, he became a leading figure in the Indian National Congress. Through the interwar period he initiated a series of non-violent campaigns against the British authorities. At the same time he made strong efforts to unite the Indian Hindus, Muslims and Christians, and struggled for the emancipation of the 'untouchables' in Hindu society. While many of his fellow Indian nationalists preferred the use of non-violent methods against the British primarily for tactical reasons, Gandhi's non-violence was a matter of principle. His firmness on that point made people respect him regardless of their attitude towards Indian nationalism or religion. Even the British judges who sentenced him to imprisonment recognised Gandhi as an exceptional personality.

          On the contrary to the omission of Gandhi's name by committee in 2009 the award is given to Obama. there is much discussion over the issue comparing both the personalities. Both of them began in South Africa Gandhi fought for the peace by using truth force and non-violence. Forcing non-violence and advocating truth-force is the way to maintain a peace.Though reason given by committee for omitting Gandhi is still there in the case of Obama. Though at surface level it appears that Gandhi was using his tools for political reasons but it was utter necessity for the enslaved souls of India. It is widely known that he used politics as the tool of social reform and concentrated on the need of time. In his Experiments he succeeded in applying the truth-force to any human problem. Social injustice, colonial injustice and above all deeply rooted caste system in India. He was a legend and a myth to give a message of peace to the world. For colonial Britishers also it would have been very difficult to control the masses of angry Indian but only because Mahatma Gandhi they were ruling in a civilized manner. On just a single call of Gandhi whole Indian people actively participated in the freedom struggle.