Historian and biographer Ramachandra Guha at the 36th Lawasia Conference in Bengaluru on Monday.
Credit: DH PHOTO/RANJU P
Bengaluru: Gandhi’s ability to evolve with time is one of the key attributes that mark his present-day relevance, historian and biographer Ramachandra Guha said here on Monday.
Speaking at the 36th Lawasia Conference on ‘Ten Reasons Why Mahatma Gandhi Still Matters’, Guha traced Gandhi’s evolving positions on subjects, including race, and noted how he, a man receptive to the prejudices of his time, was willing to engage, debate, learn and eventually, adopt an anti-racist position.
Speaking about the criticism against Gandhi’s views on multiple subjects, Guha said it is “very easy” to quote Gandhi out of context. He said he gets enquiries from fact-checkers regarding the veracity of quotes attributed, at times wrongly, to Gandhi. The context is often taken away from discussions around some of Gandhi’s quotes that can sound reactionary, casteist or patriarchal, he said.
Guha said Gandhi's idea of non-violent resistance against unjust authority, his refusal to define citizenship on the basis of faith, his convictions as an environmentalist who anticipated disastrous results from unbridled growth and consumerism, and his ability to be a patriot and internationalist at once were a few of the reasons why Gandhi still matters.
“He loved his country and culture while recognising its disfiguring qualities — he was not a jingoist, a xenophobe or a nationalist who believed that his country was perfect,” Guha said.
The four-day Lawasia Conference concluded on Monday, with a ceremonial presidential takeover that saw senior advocate Shyam Divan take charge, from Melissa K Pang, as president of Lawasia.
The conference hosted experts in multiple sessions on diverse themes, including environmental law, labour rights, and alternative dispute resolution. At the closing ceremony, Malaysia was announced as the venue of the 2024 edition of the conference.
What is Lawasia?
Formed in 1966, Lawasia is an association of lawyers, judges, jurists, and legal organisations in the Asia Pacific Region.