E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & TimesThe Punjab situation was ominous. According to a reply given on May 21, 1946,in the House of Commons by the Earl of Listowel, the Secretary of State forIndia and Burma, 4014 persons had been killed in disturbances in India betweenNovember 18, 1946, and May 18, 1947, and of these, 3024 were killed infighting between Moslems and Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab.Disturbed by events further west, Gandhi left East Bengal for Bihar. Without aday's respite, he began a tour of the province. In village and city, he chastisedthe Bihari Hindus. They 'had forgotten in a fit of insanity that they were humanbeings.'One day he listened for hours to reports by Moslems and Hindus aboutcontinued tension. Nobody could assure him 'that things had completely settleddown to complete normality.'The recital so tired him mentally that he had to take a brief nap beforeservices.Another day he apologized for coming to prayers in a car; the Biharis 'shouldknow the art of welcoming people in a quiet and dignified manner instead ofthe present embarrassing manner.' Thousands had tried to come near enough totouch him or kiss his feet.Wherever he went he preached repentance and restitution. All kidnappedMoslem women should be returned. Compensation should be paid for propertylooted or destroyed.A telegram arrived from a Hindu warning the Mahatma not to condemn Hindusfor what they had done. Gandhi mentioned the telegram at his prayer meetingand said, 'I would forfeit my claim to being a Hindu if I bolstered thewrongdoing of fellow Hindus or of any other fellow being.' He cautioned themagainst avenging the killings of Hindus in the Punjab.He knew that even worshipful Hindus were irritated by his message of love.Nevertheless, he began collecting money at all his meetings for the relief ofaggrieved Moslems. In Patna, two thousand rupees were gathered at oneassembly and a number of women contributed their personal jewellery.www.mkgandhi.org Page 521