On January 30th 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in Delhi, by a Hindu extremist opposed to his conciliatory policy towards Muslims and his peace overtures to Pakistan. We reproduce below an article from 1948, published shortly after his death.
BRITISH regard for Gandhi is something more than the respect given to a politician sincerely devoted to his principles and prepared to die for them. It is a recognition that in Gandhi's “soul force” there was a moral and religious factor transcending the ordinary politics of nationalism or democracy. Even so, an Englishman's appreciation of his life and character must fall short of the feeling which his Indian followers have for them. In India he belongs to the lineage of ascetic saints who have never ceased in the eyes of vast numbers of Hindus to represent the highest form of human life on earth; his title of the Mahatma makes him heir to a great company of religious teachers, mystics and devotees. In the murals at India House Gandhi and the Buddha are the two most prominent figures, and there seems nothing incongruous in their juxtaposition.
The close association of...Continue reading
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