The sacrifices of the sikhs and the sikh Gurus could correctly be described by the word kurbani. This word means sacrifice. The Gurus sacrificed their lives for the cause of the truth.
However the word ahimsa means non violence which is much easily achieved than kurbani. Even in ardaas the word used in kurbani and not ahimsa. Kurbani only takes place when someone has a higher truth to stand for. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji saved the Kashmiri pundits by taking it upon himself that if they manage to convert their Guru to Islam, they will comply too. He gave his life and thus saved their religion.
Gandhi on the other hand made people sacrifice themselves for a cause in which he believed. His fasts are not real as he still maintained his fit body. He was still consuming some types of food to keep up his strength. He did not sacrifice himself for anyone else - it was just a play or a drama being conducted on his part. It was a false act which further got glorified by his followers - who were larger in number hence the greater publicity.
Kurbani has its place in sikhism - not ahimsa. Kurbani has a greater divine purpose attached to it. Ahimsa is simply non-violence to make the enemy feel like a fool and to stop hitting or abusing you. I remember seeing a part in the film of Gandhi Ji where he was slapped on the face by the white man, he did not react at all and kept spinning his cloth himself.
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