Image: Gandhi in late 1947, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
On 12 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi began what became his final fast. He was in Delhi, where communal tensions remained high after Partition.
Why did Gandhi fast?
The Gandhi Heritage Portal records that Gandhi commenced the fast on 12 January with the stated aim of establishing communal harmony. His concerns included the safety of minorities and the restoration of peace in Delhi.
A fast directed at moral responsibility
Gandhi used fasting as a form of personal protest and moral appeal. He sought assurances from political and community leaders that violence would stop and that people’s rights would be respected.
Five days of tension
Gandhi’s health became a major public concern. Political leaders and representatives of different communities met to discuss the conditions required for the fast to end.
18 January 1948
Gandhi broke the fast on 18 January after receiving assurances concerning communal peace.
Why this fast is historically important
The episode shows how Gandhi continued to use nonviolent personal action even after India had achieved independence, directing his attention toward communal reconciliation rather than colonial resistance.
The Gandhi Heritage Portal preserves photographs from the fast, including the last day on 18 January 1948. Gandhi photo archive.
See NewsNationOnline’s Delhi after Partition article.
आपके लिए सुझाव
