Skip to main content

'Fear no foe... ills have no weight', said Gandhi's pet hymn dropped by Modi govt

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ* 
Outside the St Michael’s Church in Mahim Mumbai is a powerful slogan, “God will always abide with me, even if I retreat!” In many ways this creative caption sums up the raging controversy on ‘Abide With Me’ that has been on prime-time news and on social media for a week now!
A recent Government (Defence Ministry) communique finds no mention of ‘Abide With Me’ in this year’s ‘Beating Retreat’ programme which will be held on January 29 as the culmination of the events on and around Republic Day. ‘Abide in Me’ has been one of the staple tunes at the ceremony since 1950 and was Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite!
The spokesperson of the Defence Ministry did not offer any comment as to why this immortal composition was dropped. Plenty of unofficial reasons are being flaunted for doing so. Earlier, the Government had planned to drop ‘Abide With Me’ in 2020 from the Beating Retreat ceremony but had later retained it after a huge nationwide uproar.
This time there is also a groundswell of protest. It is certain however, that the Government will be unrelenting besides over the years they have systematically destroyed the secular, impartial and objective credentials of the defence establishment!
‘Abide With Me’ was composed by a Scottish Anglican, Henry Francis Lyte. It is a prayer to God to stay with the one praying throughout life, through trials and tribulations and even in death. It was written by Lyte in 1847 as he was dying from tuberculosis. Apparently Lyte first wrote it when he visited an old friend, William Le Hunte, who was dying.
As Lyte sat with the dying man, William kept repeating the phrase "abide with me…" After leaving William's bedside, Lyte wrote the hymn and gave a copy of it to Le Hunte's family. Though there are clear Christian references: the opening line alludes to, "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent", ( Lk. 24:29) and the penultimate verse draws on text from the Letter to the Corinthians "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor 15:55), and is often regarded as a Christian hymn, ‘Abide With Me’ actually transcends the narrow confines of any religion. Its lyrics (translated into several languages all over the world) are undying and its melody so haunting!
It doesn’t need much of a ‘rocket science’ knowledge to know why the government has decided to obliterate a song of such nostalgia, importance and meaning. Some superfluous reasons are being floated: the colonial past, indigenisation etc. They hold no water! The government will certainly not do away with the railways or many more vestiges from colonial rule. Besides, the defence establishment may even collapse were they to stop importing arms and ammunition and other military equipment like the Raffaele jets -- which are ‘phoren-made’. Will our politicians and bureaucrats and other powerful vested interests stop sending their children to study abroad or mint money in flush jobs in foreign countries?
India today has become a land of hypocrites, self-centred bigots who are determined to destroy everything that is precious in the country: from the Constitution to democratic principles, from pluralism to Gandhian values. They really don’t care about what is happening to the country as long as their interests are served.
Gandhi said hate must be countered solely with love, a very Christian ethic. Let us all make the singing of Abide With Me our reply to hate
One person who has resolutely espoused the cause of ‘Abide With Me’ is Tushar Gandhi, the great- grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. In a communication to me a few days ago Tushar writes,
“Hello Father Cedric
"This is Tushar Gandhi from Mumbai. I am sending you an appeal I am making to Christian clergy please help distribute it in your circles too. Hope you are fine it has been a long time since we communicated.
"An Appeal
"Mohandas Gandhi believed that it was the duty of every human to study and respect every religion in pursuit of this he studied the holy scriptures of every religion.
"All his life, in all his Ashrams in South Africa and in India prayers were held every morning and evening. In them prayers from all religions were included and given equal importance. The Hymn ‘Abide With Me’ was one of his favourite Hymns and would be sung many a times. After Independence after India became a Republic. Republic Day commemoration would end with the Beating The Retreat Ceremony on Raj Path on 29th January. 
"Marching Bands of all three Services performed several songs. ‘Abide With Me’ was always performed all these years. It symbolises the syncretic culture of our nation where all religions were included and given an equal status and respect. This year inexplicably ‘Abide with Me’ has been replaced. 
"It is hurtful more so because the next day January 30th is The Day Bapu was martyred in 1948. In his memory and as a tribute to his desire for an inclusive all embracing respectful and loving nation, Citizens of India should take it upon themselves to perform, recite or play, ‘Abide with me’ as a tribute to Mohandas Gandhi.
"My Appeal to the Church is to sing ‘Abide With Me’ in as many Churches as possible all over India on 30th January this year, as a tribute to Mohandas Gandhi and as an affirmation of our Syncretic Culture and our secular belief of equal respect to all religions. 
"Unfortunately, today hate has taken center stage in our nation, changing the narrative of so many decades and corrupting the ideal on which our nation was founded. Gandhi said that hate must be countered solely with love, a very Christian ethic. Let us all make the singing, reciting or playing of ‘Abide With Me’ our reply to hate. Let love prevail.
"Sincerely,
"Tushar Gandhi (98213366 tushar@mahatma.org.in gandhitushar.a@gmail.com)."
I promised Tushar that I would do the needful (read his appeal, now going viral, above carefully and do your best to act accordingly) that is why I am writing this article with a few more suggestions:
  1. On both days 29 January (Beating Retreat) and 30 January (the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination) sing/ play ‘Abide With Me’ as often as possible
  2. If there are Church Services (January 30 being a Sunday) or any other assembly play/sing ‘Abide With Me’
  3. There are several renditions of the song, particularly on YouTube, share them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc)
  4. Get a choir/ensemble together to sing the song
  5. Don’t stop with these two days continue as long as possible
Above all, let us not be cowed down by cowards; when we give in to them and just acquiesce to their demands – we not only lose something for ourselves, but for the people of country and for the future. Perhaps at this juncture we need to take a cue from the words of ‘Abide With Me’.
“I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness
Where is death's sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me”
Yes, to fear no one, because God is with us and we will triumph! ‘Abide With Me’ will stay forever!
---
*Human rights, reconciliation and peace activist/writer

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

From snowstorms to heatwaves: India’s alarming climate shift in 2025

By Dr. Gurinder Kaur*  Climate change is no longer a future concern—it is visibly affecting every country today. Since the beginning of 2025, its effects on India have become starkly evident. These include unseasonal snowfall in hill states, the early onset of heatwaves in southern regions, a shortening spring season, and unusually early and heavy rainfall, among other phenomena.
1 comment
Read more

Priced out of life: The silent crisis in India's healthcare... who pays attention, and who takes responsibility?

By Aysha*  Manisha (name changed) has been living with a disease since the birth of her third child—over ten years now—in the New Seemapuri area of North East Delhi. She visited GTB Hospital, where a doctor told her that treatment would cost ₹50,000, as the hospital would charge for the cost of an instrument that needs to be implanted in her body. Several NGOs have visited her home, yet she has received no support for treatment and continues to live with the illness. Manisha is divorced, without access to ration or pension, and lives with her three children by begging outside a temple.
Post a Comment
Read more

'Incoherent, dogmatic': Near collapse of international communist movement

By Harsh Thakor*  The international communist movement today lacks coherence or organizational unity. Many groups worldwide identify as communist, Marxist-Leninist, or Maoist, but most promote dogmatism, reformism, or capitulation, using revolutionary rhetoric. Some trace their origins to historical betrayals, like Trotsky’s efforts to undermine the Soviet socialist transition or the 1976 coup in China that restored a bourgeoisie under Deng Xiaoping. Others focus on online posturing rather than mass engagement. Small communist organizations exist in places like Turkey, South Asia, and the Philippines, where Maoist-led struggles continue. No international forum unites them, and no entity can forge one.
1 comment
Read more

Vishwamitri river revival? New report urges action on pollution, flood risks, wildlife protection

By A Representative  The Vishwamitri Committee, formed by the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission, has submitted two supplementary reports on June 5, 2025, detailing efforts to rejuvenate the Vishwamitri River in Vadodara, considered Gujarat's cultural capital. The reports (click here and here ) respond to directives from a May 26, 2025, GSHRC hearing. Comprising environmentalists, urban planners, and zoologists like Neha Sarwate, Rohit Prajapati, Dr. Ranjitsinh Devkar, Dr. Jitendra Gavali, and Mitesh Panchal, the committee focuses on mitigating pollution, stabilizing riverbanks, managing flood risks, and preserving biodiversity, particularly for crocodiles and turtles.
Post a Comment
Read more

Honouring Birsa Munda requires resisting the loot of natural resources

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  The legacy of Dharti Aaba Birsa Munda is inseparable from the struggle to protect indigenous land, identity, and rights. On June 9, as we commemorate Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day), it is imperative to reflect not only on his life but also on the ongoing injustices faced by tribal communities in the name of “development.”
Post a Comment
Read more

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.
Post a Comment
Read more

Sewer deaths 'systemic crimes' rooted in caste-based oppression, economic marginalization

By   Sanjeev Kumar*  Despite repeated government claims that manual scavenging has been abolished in India, the relentless spate of deaths among sewer and septic tank workers continues to expose a deeply entrenched reality of caste-based discrimination, systemic neglect, and institutional failure. A press release issued by the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) paints a harrowing picture of hazardous conditions faced by sanitation workers across the country—conditions that routinely lead to fatal outcomes with little to no accountability.
Post a Comment
Read more

The only professional in Indian horse racing history to win over 1,000 races both as jockey and as trainer

By Harsh Thakor*  Pesi Shroff is perhaps the most visible face of Indian horse racing. He seamlessly carried forward the legacy of his cousin Karl Umrigar, who tragically lost his life in an accident. In many ways, Pesi became a symbolic reincarnation of Karl’s aspirations, taking Indian racing to greater heights and establishing records that remain unbroken to this day.
Post a Comment
Read more

Mumbai jetty project: Is Colaba residential associations' outrage manufactured?

By Gajanan Khergamker   When the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) filed an affidavit before the Bombay High Court defending its long-planned public jetty project, it did more than just respond to a writ petition by a Colaba Residents Association. It exposed, albeit inadvertently, a far more corrosive phenomenon festering beneath the surface of urban civil life across India—a phenomenon where residential associations, many unregistered and some self-professed custodians of ‘public sentiment,’ conspire to stall governance under the veil of representation.
Post a Comment
Read more