Gandhi’s Symbolism and Ideology in the Socio-economic and Political Arena of Contemporary India

Abstract

For the past couple of decades, the Indian socio-economic and political scenario has been discussed and construed from different frames of references, both within the cokuntry and outside. New jingles and formulas of change have been brought in or reintegrated within the systems. Things have changed, ideologies have been challenged and many changes have taken place owing to various socio-political restructuring in the country. Contemporary changes in the socio-political systems have made Gandhi a matter of debate more than ever before, and various authors publish diverse views on him. Gandhi remains a strong imagery for mass movements and development in India. Various campaigns and initiatives use or overuse the ideologies and symbolism of Gandhi. This reflective paper identifies the ways in which Gandhian symbolisms and ideologies are applied and/ or debated in the contemporary world and analyses some of the major socio-economic and political developments from the Gandhian philosophy or ideology.