Gandhi and his call for Firearms to be given to India’s Citizens: Was he really a Pacifist?
A quote from Gandhi has gained prominence in recent months, specially in the US because of the Guns possession debate.
“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.”
Some say it wasn’t Gandhi, some say it has been misquoted. Those who say Gandhi said this – say it is on Page 446 of his Autobiography. The context seems to have been explained thus:
“I used to issue leaflets asking people to enlist as recruits. One of the arguments I had used was distasteful to the Commissioner: ‘Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.
Many find it utterly distasteful coming from a man of non-violence. I have not read his Autobiography, but I do believe Gandhi could have said that. Why? Because he did this kind of thing on another occasion. On March 2, 1930 Gandhi wrote a long letter to Viceroy Irwin explaining the reasons, issues as well as his demands from the British. He also used the letter to inform him that civil disobedience would begin on March 11.
The 11 points of his demands were:
Total Prohibition
A better Rupee-Sterling rate
50% reduction in Land Revenue
Abolition of Salt tax
50% reduction in military expenditure
Reduction in Official Salaries
Tariffs on foreign cloth
Reservation of coastal shipping for Indian ships
Release of political prisoners except those convicted for murder or attempted murder
Abolition of Criminal Intelligence Department (and control over it by elected representatives)
Right of Indians to licensed firearms
See the last one? Well, that was in his personal letter to Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy. He started his Civil Disobedience – the Dandi March because of demand #4 (Abolition of Salt Tax). Maybe that is the reason why people forget the last demand, which seems as if it was coming from the NRA of US! If these demands were met back then and still upheld today, then you might find Indians to be visiting somewhere similar to this Guns.com Website and others to be able to legally purchase their firearms.
Was Gandhi a Pacifist? Was he not? Can’t say categorically.