Both Netaji and MahatmaGandhi had a huge influenceson the Indian Freedom Movement. Though their approach were very different, the end goal was one. and its important for the students to know about their contribution. In this article we will discuss about the differences in the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose

TOPICS

  • Netaji & Gandhiji

NETAJI & GANDHIJI

Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose were two legendary personalities, gigantic in their political, moral and ethical stature. Both of them were two worthy sons of Mother India whose only dream was to free India from the British, Even though the end was same for them, they quite differed in the means they wanted to adopt for achieving this end.

Difference in Approach

There were glaring differences between Gandhi and Bose and in political life both posed against each other. Their approaches were highly inspired by the environment and perception they got.

  • Young Netaji was a firebrand nationalist who believed in the tradition of Tilak and Aurobindo. He was deeply influenced by the Russian revolt and rise of Japanese empire. Gandhiji, on the contrary, belonged to the tradition of discussion and talks with British as that if his mentor Gokhale and Tagore.

  • Bose was a modern left oriented leader, while Gandhi had a moralistic approach towards nation building. Bose even criticised Gandhi when he withdrew the Non-Cooperation movement after Chauri Chaura massacre. He also criticised Gandhi when he accepted the British offer to go for second round table

  • Biggest diversion was about India's stand with respect to the world politics. Gandhi had a moralistic stand of opposing the Nazi regime. Bose, on the other hand was more pragmatic and wanted to work with Germany and Japan to destabilise

  • Bose was not averse to the idea of violence for independence unlike Gandhi. Therefore, though Bose went to form Indian National Army to challenge British regime with ariz Gandhi, till the end resorted to the ideals of Non-Violence and Satyagraha.

  • The tools of Satyagraha and Non-Violence used by Gandhiji were of the kind which brought the masses together. He knew that only mass participation can bring the British down. Bose, on the other hand had a very different understanding of mass participation. Being, a radical in his own right, he wanted to resort to the idea of mass armed

It can be said that while Bose was a deep believer of aggressive nationalism, Gandhiji was a reluctant nationalist. Given all their differences, both Gandhi and Bose were totally honest men. They were internationalists and humanists. They were secular in approach and anti-racial in outlook. In whatever situations they were and whatever they were doing, their minds were always diverted towards the liberation of their motherland.

These articles are very much usefull in Mains UPSC gs Paper 1 , As UPSC often asks about the different ideologies with which India fought for its freedom To learn more about the Modern Indian History - click here