Gandhi's India

Gandhi wanted an India where terrorism and violence weren't an option to resolve conflicts. Violence created more violence and was a downward spiral into doom, death, and destruction of the social fabric. Gandhi pleaded life-long for

• non-violence; dialogue; consensus-building;
• love and understanding of the opponent;
• religious tolerance;
• massive employment schemes to give productive employment for India's millions, especially its youth;
• rebuilding India's villages and creating ecumenical communities of care and concern;
• promotion of local handicrafts and skills;
• self-reliance in agriculture and industry;
• production of need-based basic goods and services;
• empowering communities to participate and create their own political structures from bottom-up;
• encouraging self-help projects for human development of all so that swaraj would not result in dependency;
• making basic education a priority;
• ensuring that all Indians irrespective of their religion, caste, class, colour, or education were equal and had equality of opportunity in every sphere of life;
• and that one's moral values would underpin every activity.

VIVEK PINTO The Hindu Magazine Sunday, Oct 02, 2005