POLITICAL IDEAS OF MAHATMA GANDHI AND CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE.

This paper examined the nature of Gandhian political ideas. The concept of state, politics, democracy, leadership, decentralization, freedom, rights and duties, what were these meant for Gandhi and his future vision for India. Further, the paper studied Gandhi’s political contributions such as secularism, panchayats, abolition of untouchability, freedom of speech etc. in the Indian constitution and their relevance in the present age. In last, briefly, I had made some understanding of recent emerging challenges in present society and hope to resolve them in the light of Gandhian principles, so that true democracy could be prevail. Therefore, the focus of this paper was mainly on political ideas and political contributions of Gandhiji and their present relevance. His political ideas were stateless and partyless democracy, decentralization, freedom of speech, abolition of untouchability, moral politics, secularism etc. There is great relevance of Gandhian political ideas or values in the present age of increasing violence and intolerance.