E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & TimesThe Congress session demanded action. But Gandhi had an eye for organizationand a nose for reality. Congress talked war. Was it an effective army? Gandhiwanted Congress 'overhauled'. 'The delegates to the Congress', he wrote, 'aremostly self-appointed ... As at present onstituted, the Congress is unable to putforth real united and unbreakable resistance.'The Congress, however, would not be gainsaid. Caution was not on its agenda.Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru, leading the young men, wanted adeclaration of immediate independence to be followed, implicitly, by a war ofindependence. Gandhi suggested a two years' warning to the British. Underpressure, he finally cut it down to one year. If by December 31, 1929, India hadnot achieved freedom under Dominion Status, 1 must declare myself anIndependence-Walla.’'I have burnt my boats,' Gandhi announced.The year 1929 would be crucial and decisive.As preparation for 1930, Gandhi toured India in 1929. He no longer allowedhimself to be cooped up in first or second class however. He travelled thirdagain and found that the passing were just as slovenly about personal sanitationas they were five years before.While touring in the west-of-India province of Sindh, in February, Gandhi wassummoned to New Delhi to accept the chairmanship of the Congress Committeefor the Boycott of Foreign Cloth. He did not believe in boycotting British booksor surgical instruments, etc. Nor would he countenance a boycott of Britishcloth only. Imported textiles from any country must be boycotted in favour, notof Indian mill products, but of khadi. He regarded the universal use of khadi asa prime requisite for the battle of 1930. Indians would go into that strugglewearing uniforms of homespun.During his days in Delhi, Gandhi went to a tea party, and it became the subjectof much rumour. The party was given by Speaker Patel of the LegislativeAssembly, and among the guests were Gandhi, Lord Irwin, Jinnah, MotilalNehru, Pandit Malaviya, the Maharaja of Bikaner and the Maharaja of Kashmir.www.mkgandhi.org Page 292