Mahatma Gandhi vs Subhash chandra bose

Doctrinaire conflict between two individuals can be unambiguously identified when they consistently articulate their principled stands and follow their principles through their actions. The distinction becomes challenging when one or both vacillate and/or act contrary The to their stated principles. Subhas Chandra Bose has been consistent throughout in his demand for political independence by virtue of complete severance from the British. While in India, he pushed Congress to launch mass movements demanding complete independence, and from outside India he led the Indian National Army to liberate India through war. He wanted to develop free India as a modern, industrialised nation with focus on advances in science, livelihood, and education for the masses. He has also been unambiguous that he would seek political emancipation through the most efficacious means which could involve armed conflict or even a total war.

Mahatma Gandhi, on the other hand, identified Spiritual Swaraj, which would cure Indian civilisation from evils such as doctors, lawyers, railways, mill made cloth, heavy machinery, medicine and contraceptives, as his goal early on. He subsequently verbally demanded Dominion Status with membership in the British Commonwealth most of the time, without, however, revoking his articulation of spiritual Swaraj. In 1942, however, expecting that the British would lose the second world war, he sought complete severance from them, but reverted to demanding Dominion Status as soon as the tides of the war turned. Nonetheless, other than the Quit India movement of 1942, none of the mass movements launched by Gandhi demanded even Dominion status - they were mostly centered around social agenda, specific grievances, extra-territorial Muslim Caliphate, and financial reforms (the last incorporated the demands of his industrialist sponsors).

Unlike what is commonly believed, Gandhi and Bose did not differ on their choices between communism and capitalism. Both were socialists, as per their stated positions, and disassociated themselves from Communism (Bose certainly did). Again, unlike what is commonly believed, Gandhi was not opposed to violence per se, (he helped British recruit soldiers from India during the first world war); he was however opposed to the violent overthrow of British by Indians, except during 1942 when he appeared to condone violence. But, he reverted to his insistence on eschewing violence against the British as soon as they were back to their winning ways in the second world war. Given Gandhi's substantial flexibility in doctrines, or "flexible conscience" as Bose would call it, the conflict between the two had more to do with personal control over Indian dissent and perhaps collateral British and business interests that conflicted with Bose's agenda.

By: Ankush Sharma