Dehradun, Jan. 31 -- The nation paid ritualistic tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, with leaders from all sections of society and across the political spectrum expressing their appreciation of the principles by which he lived. His great achievement was to bring together the diverse streams of India's independence movement on one platform and an under an overarching philosophy that allowed a civilised and amicable transfer of power. That he drew inspiration from India's civilisational past not only made his ideology acceptable and comprehensible to the majority of the population but also sent across signals to those with varying ideologies about the shape the future would take.
The likes of Jinnah, for instance, were unwill...