Gandhian thought has made me what I am: Centenarian GG

Keynote speaker Rajmohan Gandhi hailed GG as the leader of 3 wars - the battle for Independence, the battle against the Emergency, and the war against the current situation. “We remember the victories of 1947, the joy we felt then and in 1977

Mumbai: “What I am is not important. I am a product of the freedom movement, and Gandhian thought has made me what I am.” In his typically self-effacing way, Dr G G Parikh responded to the felicitation organised in the city on the occasion of his entering his 100th year.

Mumbai, India – Dec 29, 2023: Rajmohan Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) along with Dr G. G Parikh (Freedom Fighter) at the "Into That Land of Freedom, Let My Country Awake" lecture, on the occasion of Dr G. G Parikh 100 years birth ceremony at Mumbai University convocation hall, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, Dec 29, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

The hall was full of admirers of the Quit India veteran, who went to jail in 1942, and again during the Emergency. GG, as he is called, was part of the Socialist Party and socialists from all over the country, as well as children of prominent socialists, had come to pay their respects to “not only the last of the socialist giants, but also the last of the freedom fighters,” as socialist and author Anil Nauriya put it.

Keynote speaker Rajmohan Gandhi hailed GG as the leader of 3 wars - the battle for Independence, the battle against the Emergency, and the war against the current situation. “We remember the victories of 1947, the joy we felt then and in 1977. But what do we face today?” he asked. “The best birthday gift we could give GG is to promise that we would fight for the ideals by which he has lived his life.”

Pointing out that Indians had a history of resistance, be it the freedom movement or the Emergency, former Congress minister Hussain Dalwai lamented that today, there was no fight being put up against the collapse of democracy. He recalled how GG had a registered marriage in those days, to a fellow freedom fighter, against the wishes of both their families. “Today, this would be risky.”

Former VC of Bombay University and ex Rajya Sabha member Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar described described GG as one of the rare individuals who not only believed in Socialism but lived by its ideals.

In his response, GG said praising him meant nothing if the dreams he had fought for remained unfulfilled. “And in today’s political situation, there’s no way they can be fulfilled,” he said. He urged the youth that just like he had prepared himself at the age of 15 for jail and for whatever was required to win freedom, they too should think of fighting against all odds for the country. “The little time I have left I will fight against the RSS and the BJP,” he added.

GG also urged the audience to think of the environment before it was too late. “What we are witnessing is not development but destruction. Like Gandhi, we must reject the Western model.” Urging the audience to visit the Yusuf Meherally centre set up by him in Tara, Raigad, he said they could see an alternate model of development and be inspired to repeat it elsewhere.”

On August 9 this year, GG had been stopped by the police from undertaking a silent march to August Kranti Maidan, an annual observance for him to commemorate the day the Quit India movement was launched, movement was launched, because the CM was scheduled to be there.