पांच बार नामित, फिर भी नहीं मिला नोबेल शांति पुरस्कार… क्या गोडसे ने गांधी की अवॉर्ड पाने की आखिरी उम्मीद भी छीन ली थी?

‘It is natural that he (Dalai Lama) be compared to Mahatma Gandhi, who was one of the greatest peace spokespersons of this century. The Dalai Lama considers himself the successor of Gandhi. Many times the question has arisen as to why Mahatma Gandhi did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This was said by Agill Rwik, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in 1989, when the prestigious award was given to the exiled religious leader of Tibet.

Giving the award to the Dalai Lama, Rawik had said that the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize is a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.

Today, the Nobel Committee calls Gandhi ‘Missing Larate’ (unacceptable Nobel Winner). Gandhi was nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize- in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and 1948.

His last nomination was just a few days ago in 1948, when he was murdered by Nathuram Godse on 30 January. Godse was a Hindu nationalist who was against Gandhi’s alleged inclination towards Muslims and support of Pakistan’s creation.

Gandhi was in the shortlist of the Nobel Prize that year, and there are many indications that he could have received this award if he were alive. But at that time the Nobel Prize was not given posthumously. The Nobel Prize for Peace was not given in 1948. The Nobel Committee had then said, “There is no suitable living candidate.”

Later, the Nobel Committee regretted many times for not giving the award to Gandhi. Especially in 1989 and 2006. Since 1948 enrollment was just a few days before Gandhi’s assassination, the question has become more serious whether Godse bullets took away not only Gandhi’s life, but also his Nobel Peace Prize? Because, Gandhi, who gave India a freedom through non -violence, could have been the most suitable candidates after 1947. But then the Nobel Prize is given only to living individuals or organizations.

Today, when there are many controversies and light announcements about the Nobel Peace Prize, such as the disputed enrollment of US President Donald Trump, which was supported by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, then this question becomes even more important that why a person like Gandhi did not get this honor?

Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal also jokingly described himself as eligible for the Nobel Prize for Peace. Today this award is counted among the most prestigious honors in the world. But it is important to know why Gandhi did not get this honor, and did his assassination be closest to him, he also snatched the opportunity from him?

Fought for independence due to non -violence, yet peace award was not received

Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution is incomparable in the field of peace and non -violence. He took on the British Empire for India’s independence through the policy of non -violence and Satyagraha. He showed the world that even without taking up arms, it can be fought against injustice. He led several movements such as Namak Satyagraha (1930) (1930) and Quit India Movement (1942) for the independence of India, in which he used public power against violence. His principles also inspired leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

In 1989, the Nobel Committee itself admitted that Gandhi was one of the greatest peace promoters of this century. Nevertheless, despite nomination five times, he never received this award, and he became a ‘missing laurel’ in history.

Nobel Committee considers Gandhi’s peace as political

Gandhi was also nominated for Nobel in 1937, 1938, 1939 before 1948, but many people in the committee felt that Gandhi’s movement was for national freedom, not for global peace. Nobel historian Oyvind Tonson said that some members of the committee considered Gandhi’s movement to be highly political. He believed that Gandhi’s non -violence was not global, but in the context of the Indian freedom struggle.

According to Ger Lundestad, former Nobel Institute director, the 1937 report called Gandhi, a freedom fighter, pacifist and nationalist, but also said that the universality of his perspective is suspicious. Apart from this, the committee also felt that Gandhi’s non -violence was not completely absolute. He had talked about supporting India’s participation in World War II on certain conditions.

Partition violence further weakens Gandhi’s expectations

Gandhi’s enrollment took place in 1947 at a time when the tragedy of the country was facing the tragedy. Hindu-Muslim riots were furious. Some members of the committee believed that Gandhi could not succeed completely in stopping these riots, and it would not be appropriate to honor him at such a time.

Historian Ramchandra Guha believes that the decision of the committee affected the communal violence at that time. At the same time, neutral countries like Norway were also hesitant to honor someone in protest against empire power like Britain.

Ger Lundestad said, ‘Europe and America dominated the Nobel Prize from 1900 to 1960. This reflects the global power structure of that time.

The diary of the chairman of the Nobel Committee shows that during the 1947 discussion, some wrong media reports also affected the decision. As such, a report claimed that Gandhi was threatening against Pakistan, which was factually wrong.

Last nomination had come before Gandhi’s assassination

Gandhi’s last nomination was in January 1948. This enrollment came from many sources. From former winners, religious organizations, quakers and American peace activist Emily Green Balk. Chief Minister of Bombay from India, B.G. Kher, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant and the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha Ganesh Vasudev pushed his name forward.

But Gandhi’s assassination put a halt on all expectations. His nomination of that year was murdered just two days before the last date of the process.

Nobel Peace Prize was given to anyone in 1948

On 18 November 1948, the Nobel Committee announced that the Nobel Prize for Peace will not be given this year, as there is no suitable living candidate. This indirectly admits that Gandhi could have been awarded the award if he were alive. In 2006, Ger Lundestad also said, “The biggest lapse in our 106 years of history is that Mahatma Gandhi was not given the Nobel Peace Prize”.

Godse bullets took away not only Gandhi’s life, but also his Nobel honor. The official record of the committee is clear. In 1948, Gandhi’s selection was almost certain, but his death made him impossible. At that time, the rule was that posthumously the award can be given only when the person’s death is after the decision of the committee. Gandhi’s case did not fall in this category.

Later changed rules, but Gandhi still did not get respect

The Nobel Committee later relaxed the rules of giving the award posthumously. In 1961, the Swedish diplomatic decag Hamarsold was posthumously awarded the peace prize. But Gandhi never received this honor. Gandhi was not associated with any organization, he did not leave any will or property and there was no clear successor of the prize money. This was the reason that the committee did not even honor him posthumously.

Would Gandhi get Nobel in 1948 if he were alive?

Would it be right to say that if Gandhi lived in 1948, he would have received the Nobel Peace Prize? All the circumstantial evidence is called this. The diary of Nobel Committee Chairman Gunnar Jaan shows that Gandhi’s name was serious that year. He wrote, ‘It is clear for me that the posthumous award would have been against the will.’

Three of the five members of the committee agreed to him. Only one member was in favor of giving the award to Christian Offedal Gandhi. Later some people also said that in 1948, for whom ‘no suitable living candidates’ were called, he was not Gandhi but Swedish diplomatic count Burnadot, who was killed by gynetes in Palestine. But records suggest that Bernadot was not one of the 79 nominees of 1948.

Therefore, it is clear that if Gandhi lived for one year more, then he would probably have received the Nobel Peace Prize. Britain -based historian Preetipushpa Mishra says, “Whether Gandhi gets the award or not, his shadow is on every Nobel winner.” His real Nobel is hidden in this.

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