Cong, BJP cross swords over Gandhi theory

However, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress was trying to ‘‘appropriate’’ Gandhi — who belonged to the entire country — and that he had put ‘‘national honour’’ before everything else.

Both members quoted lines from the same article — Doctrine of the Sword — written by Gandhi in August 1920.

The discussion revolved round an advertisement, released by the government’s publicity department (DAVP) on Gandhi’s birth anniversary, where two lines were quoted from the article — ‘‘If the choice is only between cowardice and violence, I do believe I would advocate violence. If the choice is between cowardly behaviour and the nation’s dishonour, we should resort to violence rather than cowardice.’’

Aiyar said the government had picked up these lines ‘‘out of context’’ to suit its need. According to him, there were several other lines in the article, which could have been used and which reflected Gandhi’s philosophy better. Quoting from the same article, he said, probably the government should have used the following lines — ‘‘Non-violence is infinitely superior than violence, and forgiveness is more manly than punishment. Forgiveness adorns a soldier.’’

He demanded that the government as ‘‘prayashchit’’ (penance) release another ad on Gandhi’s martyrdom day, January 30, giving these lines. As an alternative, Aiyar also suggested other lines — ‘‘If India takes up the doctrine of the sword, she may gain momentary victory but then it will cease to be the prize of my heart.’’

‘‘This will put Gandhi’s life in perspective,’’ the Congress member said.

Not to be outdone, Prasad said the Congress was doing ‘‘injustice’’ to Gandhi’s personality by alleging that the line used in the DAVP ad was used out of context. Taking off from where Aiyar left, the I&B minister read the two lines that follow — ‘‘Forgiveness adorns a soldier.’’ ‘‘Power to forgive must emanate from power to punish. This is what Gandhiji meant. For him, national honour was the most important,’’ Prasad said. ‘‘If Gandhiji was alive, he would have said the same,’’ he added.

Observing that Gandhi’s philosophy was still relevant, the minister said that former PMs like Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi — who believed in Gandhian principles — had fought wars in 1962, 1965 and 1971 in the country’s interest.