E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & Timesthe assassination 'a dastardly act'. Bhagat Singh, the suspected assassin, eludedarrest and quickly achieved the status of hero.Dining the autumn of 1928, the government moved against the growing labourorganizations of India. Trade union leaders, and Socialists and Communists,were arrested en masse. Labour was unhappy and anti-British for nationalist aswell as class reasons.In Bengal, always the heart of turbulence and of opposition to the governmentas well as to the Congress leadership, Subhas Chandra Bose, a stormy petrelwhose philosophy was, 'Give me blood and I promise you freedom', had wongreat popularity and a big, restive following.Gandhi sensed the crisis atmosphere. The existing British system was, he said,'an unmitigated evil'. One word from him a thousand Bardolis would spring intoaction throughout ^ But as a good field-commander, Gandhi was always carefulChoose the right time and place for battle. He knew India's Co he also knew itsweakness, and the weaknesses of congress. Perhaps, if he was patient, thebattle could be avoided; even a non-violent contest should not be undertakenbefore every possibility of averting it had been exhausted.In this mood of uncertainty, Gandhi approached the annual Congress sessionwhich met in Calcutta in December 1928. En route to the meeting, friends putsome searching and significant questions to him when the train stopped atNagpur.What would be your attitude towards a political war of independence?' theyasked.'I would decline to take part in it,' Gandhi answered.Then you would not support a national militia?''I would support the formation of a national militia under Swaraj,' Gandhi said,'if only because I realize that people cannot be made non-violent bycompulsion. Today I am teaching the people how to meet a national crisis bynon-violent means.'www.mkgandhi.org Page 291