Civil Disobedience in Indian Tradition, with Some Early Nineteenth Century Documents c5.s3.6

c5.s3.6

Since 1947, a controversy has been going on in India about the relevance of non-cooperation and civil disobedience in a free country. It seems to agitate all those concerned with the problems of Indian polity, including those who stand for social and political transformation or accelerated change. According to one view, there is no place for non-cooperation and civil disobedience in a free country with representative legislative bodies. According to another, these may still be resorted to in certain well-specified situations. The situations which qualify for such resort are also a matter of controversy. According to some, the permissibility applies only when resorted to enforce accepted norms. Others feel that it is permissible to resort to non-cooperation and civil disobedience for advocating the changing of certain norms themselves.