Effect of Gandhian thoughts on the ideology of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan

- By P.V. Narasimha Rao*

Gandhi can well be described as truly the greatest theorist and practitioner of non-violence and tolerance of our times. He sought to awaken a novel moral consciousness in humankind. It is, therefore, natural that thinkers of sensitivity and distinction throughout the world.

- Pankaj Kumar Dubey
Research Scholar-Education,
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth,
Varanasi,U.P.,India.

The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi is unique and wonderful and useful for all human society in any perspective. The ideology of Mahatma Gandhi affected the thoughts of many thinkers in which one is Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan. Jayaparakash Narayan was a great socialist thinker of India,who gave major contribution in the development of this country. His contribution in social reform was very important. He left politics in 1954 to proceed to Gandhi's experiments of social reform. His ideology was changed time to time in positive direction and gave major contribution for the welfare of society. This paper presents the effect of Gandhian thoughts on his ideology.

Introduction:

Jayaprakash Narayan was a freedom fighter, politician, social reformer and socialist thinker. After independence of India he did the work of social reform on ground level. He was linked with Bhoodan, gramdan movement and he also tried to solve the problem of Naxlism by non-violent technique. During the emergency period of 1975-1977 he called on Total Revolution to change the corrupt and autocratic system. He was with those person who worked on the way of Gandhian thoughts.

Before independence he was not in favour of non - violence, he did not follow the Gandhian thoughts. He supported violence for freedom movement. But after independence he tried to complete the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, and he tried to complete the aim of Gandhiji's Lok Sevak Sangh.

The ideology of Jayaprakash Narayan is mainly influenced by Marxism and Gandhian thoughts.

Effect of Marxism:

When Jayaprakash Narayan went to America to take higher education he came to be influenced by Marxism. He said "freedom still remained the unchanging goal, but the Marxian Science of revolution seemed to offer a surer and quicker road to it than Gandhi's technique of civil disobedience and non-cooperation. The thrilling success of the great Lenin, accounts of which we consumed with unsatiated hunger, seemed to establish beyond doubt the supremacy of the Marxian way to revolution.

At the same time, Marxism provided another beacon of light for me: equality and brotherhood. Freedom was not enough. It must mean freedom for all-even the lowliested and this freedom must include freedom from exploitation, from hunger, from poverty".

Effect of Gandhian thoughts:

After murder of Mahatma Gandhi the ideology of Jayaprakash Narayan was changed to positive direction, moved from violence to non-violence. He came in the light of Gandhian thoughts and his ideology of socialism was transformed into sarvodaya. The effect of Gandhian thoughts on his ideology is pointed out in the following points:

I. Socialism:

In the previous stage he did not understand the effectiveness of the thoughts of Gandhiji But later on he came to know the power of Gandhian thoughts. His ideology of socialism was transformed into sarvodaya. According to him violence is not necessary for success of socialism. By changing the ideology of human being socialism can be established and this socialism is a real and perfect socialism. He said, "My regret is that I did not reach this point in my life's journey while Gandhiji was still in our midst. However some years back it became clear to me that socialism as we understand it today can not take mankind to the sublime goals of freedom, equality, brotherhood and peace. Socialism, no doubt, gives promise to bring mankind close to those goals than any other competing social philosophy. But I am persuaded that unless socialism is transformed into sarvodaya, those goals would remain beyond its reach."

II. Non-Violence:

During the freedom movement Jayaprakash Narayan accepted the way of violence, But after independence when he came into the light of sarvodaya he was for away from violence, and moved towards non- violence.

He said, "Without non- violence real socialism can not be established. Socialism of people can be established by changing the ideology of every person, and to move them towards sarvodaya thinking."

III. Spiritualism:

In earlier stage he did not believe in spiritualism but after the effect of Gandhian thoughts he believed in spiritualism. According to him education of spiritualism is necessary because without spiritualism, non-violence can not stay for a long time. He said "there should be proper coordination between education of spiritualism and materialism".

IV. Social Reform:

Jayaprakash Narayan said "Gandhji had no time to give a practical demonstration of his non-violent technique for changing and reconstructing society. No doubt, he had spoken and written much about it, but before he was able to put it into practice he was cruelly snatched away from our midst".

Jayaprakash Narayan Completed the remaining work of Mahatma Gandhi with non- violent technique. He gave practical demonstration of non-violent technique for social revolution and reconstructing society. These are exemplified in his work for bhoodan, gramdan and gramraj movement.

V. Non-violent Revolution:

After freedom movement Jayaprakash had leading role in non- violent revolution against corrupt system and autocratic administration during the emergency period in 1975-1977. In this revolution he applied Gandhian thoughts of non-violent revolution and gave major contribution in the establishment of Socialist Democratic Government.

Conclusion:

In the earlier stage Jayaprakash followed the principles of Marxism but later on he followed the way of Gandhian thoughts. The effect of Gandhian thoughts on him is decribed in following points.

• His socialist thinking was transformed into sarvodaya.
• He believed in the power of non-violence.
• He did not believe in spiritualism before 1954 but after the effect of Gandhian thoughts on him he believed in spiritualism.
• He transformed Gandhian thoughts about social change and reconstruction of society, in practice.

References

1. Narayan, J. : Karavas ki kahani. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 2002.
2. Narayan, J. : Sampurna Kranti. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan Varanasi, 1999.
3. Narayan, J. : From Socialism to Sarvodya. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 1998.
4. Narayan, J. : Total Revolution. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 2003.
5. Narayan, J. : Swaraj for the people. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 1977.
6. Narayan, J. : Meri Vichar yatra I. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 2002.
7. Narayan, J. : Meri Vichar yatra II. Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 1997.
8. Narayan, J. : Socialism, Sarvodaya and Democracy. Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1964.
9. Shah, K. : Jayaprakash ki Jeevan Yatra, Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi, 2002.

Source: Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture, 1995.

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* Former Prime Minister of India.