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<strong>Our</strong> <strong>Bapu</strong><br />
erected on that spot, and as long as <strong>Bapu</strong> stayed in that palace, he went to<br />
that samadhi 36 and laid flowers there everyday.<br />
After <strong>Gandhi</strong>'s arrest, there was no one to guide the people in their non-violent<br />
struggle against the British Government. People were burning with the desire to<br />
win independence, and they carded on the fight in various ways according to<br />
their lights. Some, in their enthusiasm, even forgot the teachings of <strong>Gandhi</strong>ji,<br />
and secretly incited people to violence. And the government answered back<br />
with all the violence that it was capable of. Bullets were rained on innocent<br />
gatherings, and whole villages were burnt down. A reign of terror prevailed in<br />
the country. Men, women, and children were killed by the thousand, and the<br />
jails were full. The leader of the nation was in prison, and without his guidance<br />
the people had gone astray and run mad. <strong>Bapu</strong> had never thought that if he was<br />
removed from the scene, the fight for freedom would take such a bloody and<br />
violent turn. He did not know that people would so misunderstand his slogan of<br />
'Quit India', that they would throw all restraint to the winds.<br />
While in jail, <strong>Gandhi</strong>ji was in touch with the day-to-day happenings in the<br />
country. He was cut off from us physically, but all his thoughts were with us.<br />
The Father of the Nation could not rest in peace while the people, misguided<br />
by their enthusiasm, risked every hardship and suffering.<br />
The government threw the entire blame for the prevailing confusion and chaos<br />
on <strong>Bapu</strong>. <strong>Gandhi</strong>ji made earnest efforts to secure the release of some of the<br />
leaders, so that they could lead the people back to nonviolence and discipline.<br />
But the government turned a deaf ear to all his requests. In utter helplessness,<br />
on the 10th of February 1943, <strong>Bapu</strong> decided to go on fast for twenty-one days<br />
as the only way of convincing the world of his sincerity.<br />
The government offered to release him for the duration of the fast, but <strong>Bapu</strong><br />
would not agree to such a proposal. <strong>Gandhi</strong>ji grew weaker and weaker every<br />
day. Kasturbai was all the time by his side and looked after him. The whole of<br />
India was in great suspense and anxiety. Men and women prayed for his life,<br />
and all eyes and ears were turned anxiously to the Aga Khan's Palace. There<br />
were protests and strikes all over the country, and in Delhi three Indian<br />
www.mkgandhi.org Page 57
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