New Delhi, August 15: On August 15, 2026, India celebrates its 80th Independence Day. Across the nation, people are rejoicing the completion of 79 years of freedom. From schools to the Red Fort, the tricolor is being hoisted, and a wave of patriotism fills the air. However, have you ever wondered why Mahatma Gandhi was not present during the historic celebrations on August 15, 1947?
On that day, power was being transferred from British rule in Delhi. The historic moment was being recorded in Parliament, and celebrations erupted nationwide. Meanwhile, Mahatma Gandhi was in the Belighata area of Kolkata. At that time, Bengal was grappling with communal violence. Tensions and violence between Hindu and Muslim communities had plunged people into turmoil.
Gandhi believed that celebrating freedom while one part of the country was shedding blood was inappropriate. Thus, he chose to remain in the violence-affected area to restore peace. His focus was on rebuilding trust among people and halting communal violence.
During this period, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel sent Gandhi a letter urging him to join the celebrations, stating that August 15 marked the first Independence Day and he was the Father of the Nation. Gandhi responded, expressing that he could not celebrate while Hindus and Muslims were killing each other in Calcutta. He stated, “I would rather give my life to stop the riots.”
For Gandhi, freedom was not merely about gaining power from the British. He envisioned that the benefits of independence should reach the last person in the country, and he sought to maintain Hindu-Muslim unity. On that day, he appealed to the people to uphold peace and brotherhood. His efforts bore fruit, as a peaceful atmosphere began to emerge in Calcutta, which had previously been rife with communal violence.
After independence, Gandhi warned the newly empowered leaders not to use power for personal gain. He reminded the new ministers that with authority came great responsibility in a free India. He described power as a “crown of thorns” and emphasized the need to prioritize service to the poor, villages, and common people.
This account is also mentioned in the book “Freedom at Midnight” by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which notes that while the entire nation celebrated independence, Gandhi was working to quell severe riots in Bengal. He resided in a Muslim-majority area called “Haidari Manzil” in Calcutta, where he collaborated with former Chief Minister H.S. Suhrawardy to appeal for peace.
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