Gandhi Jayanti 2023: 5 iconic speeches of Mahatma Gandhi that inspired the world

India celebrates the birth anniversary of revered “Bapu”, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, on October 2, a day celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. Born in 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, this year marks the 154th birth anniversary of the eminent freedom fighter. Gandhi Ji, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, remains an enduring symbol of non-violence. Consequently, his birthday is internationally recognized as the International Day of Non-Violence, reflecting his steadfast commitment to peaceful resistance and his lasting impact on the pursuit of justice and harmony in the world.

Gandhi's eloquence was a powerful force in India's struggle for independence, and his words resonated with wisdom and an unrelenting commitment to nonviolence.

From the historic “Quit India” speech that ignited a national movement to his memorable “Dandi March” speech, where he symbolically took a handful of salt to challenge the oppressive salt tax, every word he spoke touched hearts and ignited a passion. for the change. . Please join us in honouring the legacy of a visionary leader whose speeches still resonate with hope, justice, and the power of peaceful resistance.

ICONIC SPEECHES OF MAHATMA GANDHI

DANDI MARCH SPEECH

Gandhi led the peaceful march to protest against the salt tax rule of the British Raj and his speech for this movement remains one of the most remembered speeches of his. He propagated the message of satyagraha through his speech delivered on March 11, 1930, where he said: “A Satyagrahi, whether free or imprisoned, always emerges victorious. He is only defeated when he abandons truth and non-violence and turns a deaf ear to the inner voice. Therefore, if there is defeat even for a Satyagrahi, he alone is the cause of it.

EXIT THE INDIA MOVEMENT SPEECH

Mahatma Gandhi's "Do or Die" message to Indians during the announcement of the Quit India movement unified the country to fight the British Raj. The speech began a campaign of civil disobedience that spread throughout the country and lasted from August 1942 to September 1944. He said: “If we are to teach true peace in this world, and if we are to carry out a true war against war, we must We will have to start with the children.”

GANDHI ON JUSTICE

“The important thing is the action, not the fruit of the action. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, it may not be in your time, there may be some fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you don't do anything, you won't get any results.”

GANDHI ON THE PARTITION OF INDIA IN 1947

On June 3, 1947, when the partition plan was announced, Gandhi told Rajendra Prasad: "I see only evil in the plan."

GANDHI ON THE SWADESHI MOVEMENT

Gandhi believed in self-reliance and also economic freedom for Indians who were suffering from poverty during the colonial era. Khadi became the symbol of that self-sufficiency when he promoted the spinning wheel that met these conditions.

“It is better to die doing one's duty or Swadharma. Paradharma, or another person's duty, is fraught with danger, he said, explaining: “What the Gita says regarding swadharma also applies to swadeshi, because swadeshi is swadharma applied to one's immediate environment.”