Mahatma Gandhi frequently undertook prolonged fasts to protest British colonial rule and appeal to the moral conscience of both oppressors and compatriots. While intended as a powerful moral weapon of satyagraha, critics argued that starving oneself to pressure a distant, imperial government was an illogical and emotionally coercive tactic. Ultimately, fasting placed the burden of reform on personal suffering rather than systemic political engagement, yielding mixed results in dismantling colonial structures.