Timeless relevance

During his stay in South Africa, when Mahatma Gandhi was appearing for a client, he went to the court wearing a turban (pagdi). The judge objected to it stating that it was not proper to enter into the court wearing a 'hat'. To this, Gandhiji replied that the turban was his Indian identity and he would not part with it. When he was asked to leave the court, Gandhiji refused to accept the verdict for he argued in favour of establishing his Indian identity. The argument went on for six months. Gandhiji wrote a series of articles at that time. After six months, the judge accepted his arguments and allowed him to appear at the court with his turban. This had a far-reaching impact on Gandhi. This demonstration of protest through the power of written communication evinced the journalist in MK Gandhi. Historical research shows that Gandhi, the journalist, preceded Gandhi, the freedom fighter. While in South Africa, he decided to launch the 'Indian Opinion', a weekly bi-lingual newspaper in English and Gujarati. In its inaugural issue, he wrote: "the Indian community in South Africa is a recognized factor in the body politic, and a newspaper, voicing its feelings and especially devoted to its cause, would hardly be considered out of place''.

After coming back to India from South Africa, Gandhiji got a call from Champaran, a place in Bihar where indigo cultivators were exposed to humiliation and exploitation. He responded to the call and let himself be present in the scene of action. He investigated the issue and documented a report that can give a modern investigative journalist a run for his money. This eventually led to Champaran Satyagraha in 1917 which, as a civil disobedience movement was the first of its kind in India. Almost coinciding with the Champaran issue, its report came to the responsibility of the editorship of 'Young India', which was published by the editors of 'Bombay Chronicle'. In 1919, Gandhiji started to edit and write in 'Navjivan' ', then a Gujarati monthly. These two journals, 'Young India' and 'Navjivan' expressed his views in enlightening the public about Satyagraha. Gandhiji was vocal against the Press Act of 1910 as he believed it to be a suppression of public opinion. Today, in situations similar to the press acts during the British rule, we should be guided by Gandhi and the same resilience be shown in manifesting views intended towards public benefit. In 1933, Gandhiji started 'Harijan', 'Harijansevak' and 'Harijanbandhu'. These newspapers voiced Gandhiji's crusade against untouchability and economic deprivation. These newspapers published no advertisements and often ventilated the socio-political ideals of Gandhiji, need not mention his criticism of the British administration. His defiance added a new stint in making the press a weapon of Satyagraha.

The principal quality of a journalist lies in his power to comprehend things and communicate the meaning to the receiving end. Gandhiji excelled in it and coupled with his sense of morality, his functioning as a journalist attained elevation. Apart from being an effective communicator who could reach even an illiterate with ease, Gandhiji was also gifted with the realization that journalism was a moral responsibility. Even today, one cannot brush aside these features from the art of journalism. The beauty of Gandhiji's art of journalism lies in the simple display of language without flourish and any difficult quotations, even from religious books. His writings are just simple facts strung together. Now, what better way can we expect even today when it comes to airing ideas over the mass media.

In his autobiography, Gandhiji stated that before going to London, he had not read any newspaper. But the same man was ambitious to write articles. He started contributing to the 'Vegetarian', a journal in London that was a journal of the vegetarian society in England. There he wrote on diet, customs and festivals of India. In South Africa, he worked as the South Asian correspondent of 'India' started by Dadabhai Naoroji. Here Gandhi narrated the grievances of the Indians in South Africa. There is no denial of the fact that Gandhiji's journalist mind was paving the broader path of his Satyagraha.

This is enunciated in his writings in the 'Harijan'. Here Gandhiji had so much to share about his ideas on constructive work in rural areas. These writings are not like preaching sermons or any kind of theoretical babble; rather they are a well-knit compendium of analysis on prevailing socio-economic conditions. Gandhiji was a great psychological explorer who ignited a kind of investigative temperament in Gandhian journalism.

There are many stories about Gandhiji's journalism. He used to write editorials and articles for the 'Harijan' during his train journeys. Once he asked his typist to type an article while travelling in a third-class compartment. The typist made a lot of mistakes. Eventually, Gandhiji took the typewriter and finished the job neatly. Then with laughter, he said "Well, you see, I also know typing. As a journalist, I learnt everything required to produce a newspaper.'' In one of the oldest and detailed books on human communication 'Rhetorica', Aristotle stated some fundamental features related to the art of communication like character or ethos, sense of logic or logos; arouse emotions or pathos. Gandhiji's art of journalism reflects all these attributes. Gandhi relied on ethics and believed that individual ethics and state ethics are inseparable. This finds presence in his journalism. Regarding the basis of logic, Gandhi demonstrated the concept of popular opinion and consequent expression. While pointing out the objectives of journalism, Gandhiji emphasized the arousal of desirable sentiments among the people and to expose popular defects. The essence of journalism can ignore neither the Aristotelian approach nor the Gandhian practice.

In a span of four decades, Gandhiji was actively involved with as many as six newspapers. As a journalist and editor, Gandhiji carried his own ideological formulary. Gandhiji's 'Hind Swaraj' (1909) explains Gandhism even today. The different types of movement that Gandhiji exhibited before the world had their philosophical basis laid down in his newspaper articles. Again these articles are also like torch-bearers to coming generations both within and beyond the domain of journalism. If Gandhiji is judged in the yardstick of modern journalism, then certainly he stands qualified on many grounds like connectivity with the grassroots; understanding mob psychology; delectable art of communication and as when required dramatizing issues like salt satyagraha. The same man discarded negative journalism which he regarded poisonous. To him, journalism and social responsibility go hand-in-hand. Gandhi the journalist and politician march parallel, propagating idealism, peaceful protest and moral fortitude. "The sole aim of journalism should be service. The true function of journalism is to educate the public mind and read the mind of the country and to give definite and fearless expression to that mind''. This observation of Gandhiji is timeless for we need to trace the relevance of Gandhian journalism in the modern context.

The writer is an educator from Kolkata. Views expressed are personal