E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & Timesa member of the Working Committee, was a lawyer who first met Gandhi inChamparan in 1917 during the struggle for the indigo sharecroppers.Prasad went to Gandhi in Birla House at 1 p. m. and told the Mahatma aboutthe offer. 'I don't like it,' Gandhi said.'I cannot remember ever having dared to oppose Gandhi,' Dr. Prasad stated inrecounting these events. 'Even when I differed with him I felt he must be rightand followed him.'On this occasion, too, Prasad agreed with Gandhi and promised to withdraw hiscandidacy.Subsequently, however, Prasad was persuaded to change his mind. He became,the new Congress president. He was a gentle, modest, compliant, retiring,well-intentioned, high- minded person more inclined to serve than to lead. Hewas sixty-three.Gandhi had been defeated by the Congress machine and by the key men in thegovernment.Gandhi now tried a different approach.During the first half of December 1947 he held a series of conferences with hismost trusted collaborators outside the government. They were the ConstructiveWorkers, the men and women who directed the several organizations set up byGandhi over the years to remove untouchability, spread the use of Hindustanias the national language, extend basic education, improve food cultivation,develop village industries and encourage hand spinning. The ConstructiveWorkers were devoted to non-violence; they believed in Gandhi not merelybecause he was the chief instrument of India's political independence butbecause they considered him the chief agent for India's social reform.Gandhi wanted all these organizations to combine. But he did not want theConstructive Workers 'to go into power politics; it would spell ruin. Or elsewhy,' Gandhi asked, 'should not I myself have gone into politics and tried to runthe government my way? Those who are holding the reins of power today wouldwww.mkgandhi.org Page 551