NELSON MANDELA - GANDHI OF AFRICA
20th century may have many achievements to boast of, but it would be more remembered in the centuries to come for producing two great leaders - Mahatma Gandhi , Father of India (Nation) in the first half of this century and Nelson Mandela , in the second half , Father of South Africa. Many parallels can be found out between the lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.
Gandhi was against the British rule. He wanted an end to the colonial rule and hence end to the social discrimination and height of exploitation. Mandela also wanted to liberate the people of South Africa. For this he wished an end to white monopoly of political power.
Like Mahatma , Mandela was also not against the whites or nurse any rancour or grievance against them. Like Mahatma , Mandela was basically humanitarian in outlook and therefore against racialism but definitely not for counter-racialism.
Both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are product of cruel and inhuman system in which white minority, with their sinister device, retain absolute dominance over majority non-whites.
Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi both chose the long difficult path of seeking to help and emancipate the oppressed.. Both belonged to a very good family but both sacrificed their lives for bettering the condition of suffering people. They suffered, they sacrificed but they did not succumb to any pressure.The more they were tortured , the more matured and determined they become, the more courageous and fearless they become.
Mahatma Gandhi fought for non-violent methods of social change. He saw non-violence as a way of life rather than as a mere technique. In the beginning of his political career Mandela was also in favour of non-violent methods of struggle. But inhumanity of apartheid later forced him to go all out for embracing arms. Once Mandela said " Where there remained only two choices , to submit or to fight.Submission was out of question. There was no choice but to hit back,"
Like Mahatma Gandhi, Mandela also has been commanding, unrelenting, passionate and magnanimous. Like Mahatma, Mandela has been a fearless and courageous man. Again like Mahatma, Mandela has all the attributes : strong personality, ability, stature and calm, tact and conviction. Like Mahatma , he has the tremendous capacity of his understanding of the complex nature of society.
Mahatma Gandhi and Mandela both are just like lotus in the mud. They were born and brought up in the mud of colonialism but they were not affected by the bad qualities of it. They struggled, they fought and they survived and ultimately came out in flying colours.
Both Gandhi and Mandela symbolize the victory of virtue over vice, truth over untruth.Both have been the champions for the causes of suffering humanity.
Mahatma Gandhi and Mandela both have been the darling of the masses. Both became legendary figure in their life time. Lives of both will continue to inspire and encourage the people in coming ages and would be a reminder to the fact that come what may"Truth alone triumphs."
But Mahatma Gandhi did not opt for any political post after India's Independence and was assassinated on 30th January 1948 where as Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa and passed away on 5th December 2013.
