Gandhiji’s reliance on mass media to mould public opinion and aid political mobilisation shows some of his successful experiments in journalism
During childhood I heard stories of Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle from my father. Growing up in Jawaharlal Nehru University while pursuing sociology, my interests lay in mass media of communication and my stint in journalism further propelled me to explore different facets of it. While trying to figure out a topic for my PhD, I was tempted to combine childhood learning with that of my personal predisposition towards communication. My teacher, Professor Anand Kumar, helped me pursue my dream of exploring Gandhi more while keeping my interests in communication and I zeroed in on studying Gandhi, the journalist. As we celebrate Gandhi’s 150th anniversary, I am tempted to highlight his successful experiments in journalism.
Gandhiji’s sojourn with journalism started with his first daily, the Indian Opinion, which was launched in South Africa. In order to ventilate the grievances of Indians and mobilise public opinion in their favour, Mahatma Gandhi started writing and giving opinion in the newspapers. He focused on open letters and letters to the editor, but soon realised that occasional writings were inadequate for the political campaign he had launched. Gandhi had all the qualities of a good journalist. Gandhi popularised the ideals he had set before himself as a journalist in his autobiography. He wrote, “The sole aim of journalism should be service.” He further stated that reference to abuses by the state is undoubtedly a necessary part of journalism and it is a means of creating public opinion. “I have taken up journalism not for its sake but merely as aid to what I have conceived to be my mission in life.” Defining the objects of a newspaper, Gandhi said that a purpose is “to understand the popular feeling and give expression to it; another is to arouse among the people certain desirable sentiments; and the third is fearlessly to expose popular defects”.
The genesis of Gandhi’s reliance on mass media and his usage of newspapers and journals to generate public opinion and political mobilisation can be traced back to his struggle in South Africa. The Indian labourers who had gone to South Africa and the merchants who followed them were denied the right to vote. They had to register and pay toll tax. They could not reside except in prescribed locations which were dirty and congested. Gandhi soon became the leader of the struggle against those conditions, and during 1893-94, he was engaged in a heroic though unequal struggle against the racist authorities of South Africa. It was during this long struggle, lasting nearly two decades, that Gandhi evolved the technique of satyagraha based on truth and non-violence. As early as 1896, the roots of satyagraha took shape in Gandhi’s mind. In The Green Pamphlet, he pointed out that his method in South Africa was to conquer “hatred with love”. Journalism was an important tool for him.
When the satyagraha struggle commenced, Mahatma Gandhi became involved in the publication of the Indian Opinion, published in English and Gujarati. It made a significant contribution in educating Indians and instilling in them the courage to resist injustice. Satyagraha in South Africa would probably have been impossible without it. According to Gandhi, “through the medium of this paper we could very well disseminate the news of the week among the community. The English section kept those Indians informed about the movement who did not know Gujarati and for Englishmen in India, England and South Africa, the paper served as a weekly newsletter”. Gandhi considered the Indian Opinion as an effective instrument for mass mobilisation. Gandhi also regularly wrote for the local white Press to clarify the Indian stand and expose the partisan and anti-Indian policies of the South African Government. In a letter published in The Rand Daily Mail on August 6,1910, he wrote: “Will you permit me to correct some statements made on your leading article on Lord Ampthills’ action in the House of Lords on the passive resistance struggle?...May I remind you that passive resistance commenced in 1907 when the question of priests, doctors and lawyers had not come up for public discussion, and when it did arise, it simply arose in order to forcibly illustrate the injustice that had been done by the Government in not conceding the demands of the community.” The files of the Indian Opinion reflect gradual growth of the Gandhian spirit.
After moving its office and printing press to Phoneix, the Indian Opinion continuously carried a vivid portrayal of the sufferings of the Indian community. Back in India, during the Non-Cooperation movement Gandhi took on the editorship of the Young India and the Navjivan. Introducing the two journals to his readers, Gandhi wrote, “…With much striving I have formulated some principles for my life and put them into practice…it is my sincere aspiration to place these principles before India and share my happiness with her. A newspaper is one means to that end...” Gandhi also launched the Harijan in 1933 and wrote: “It will be solely devoted to the Harijan cause.”
(The writer is a strategic communications professional)
