Discussion of Mahatma Gandhi on Hindustani

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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Discussion of Mahatma Gandhi on Hindustani

 

 

 

ZAKIR HUSAIN: The report from the U.P. was read out to us. Everyone felt that we should take over the basic schools from the local boards and run them ourselves. In a way it is desirable that the local boards alone should run such schools. But you are aware how they work. Even now it is the Government that plans out the programmes whereas the local boards are expected to implement them. The local boards embezzle funds and do not make regular payments to the teachers. It would therefore be better if the Government ran these schools.

GANDHIJI: At present I know nothing about them. Only after examining the working of the local boards will I am in a position to say something on this point. Just now I won’t commit myself to anything. I would only suggest that if the Government feels that it can shoulder this responsibility and the local boards are willing to hand over the schools, it should take them over.

ZAKIR HUSAIN: Then the report about the post-basic education was read out. After one month’s training the trainees are equipped to earn 8 as daily by working for 5 hours. Moreover, we have just commenced our work. Only after some time would it be possible to make a correct estimate about it. The third point is regarding being self-supporting on which Jajuji will speak to you.

JAJUJI: Seven years have passed since we introduced Nayee Talim Even now it is doubtful whether the students passing out of the basic schools can be self-supporting. The wages they can earn vary from craft to craft. A student can earn two to three rupees if engaged in carpentry whereas spinning is a much less paying occupation. These days one earns much less if one does with the hands the work otherwise done in mills. They can, of course, earn 6 or 8 as, a day at the Charkha Sangh rates. But if we succeed in opening basic schools all over the country, the Charkha Sangh will not be in a position to buy all the yarn produced in these schools. Even today there is a large quantity of yarn which the Sangh is unable to buy. And we shall get very little if we sell the yarn at the market rate. The Government may buy all the yarn spun in these schools. Under such circumstances which craft, do you think, should we adopt?

GANDHIJI: We should not think in terms of money as we do now. Khadi is the centre of our activities because we all need cloth and we have before us the question of clothing the seven lakhs of villages. Today, we get our yarn woven by offering higher wages to lure the weavers. It was wrong of me not to have insisted on everybody weaving as I did in the case of spinning. It must, however, be seen that it does not require more time than can be spared for it. If it takes up all the time one can spare we shall have to think anew. The teacher under Nayee Talim will be a craftsman, not merely a wage-earner. His wife and children too must join him in his work. Only then will true co-operation be born. It would be a great achievement if we could take Nayee Talim to every village in India.

Some people ask me why agriculture could not be the centre of Nayee Talim. The answer is that through agriculture no handicraft can be taught. The function of Nayee Talim is not merely to teach an occupation, but to develop the whole man through the teaching of handicrafts. It aims at helping the students to understand the essence of life. Nayee Talim endeavours to remove the imperfections of man. But though I do not begin with agriculture, it is bound to come in ultimately. We cannot do without it. One, of course, gets enough mental training in learning to grow fruits and vegetables. Moreover, we also have to grow wheat for the students and provide them milk. All this cannot be accomplished under the old system. The field of Nayee Talim is more comprehensive. It has to determine the pattern of a whole life. A teacher of Nayee Talim should be a first-class craftsman. All the boys of the village will naturally live in the village and in co-operation with the teacher produce all they need in the village itself. In this way, the education would automatically become free and universal.

Today the condition of India is such that the vegetables and fruit grown in a village are not consumed by the villagers themselves. The villagers of Travancore cannot use the coconuts that are grown there. They are collected at one place and sent to the towns. In the places where basic schools are opened the fruit grown will be first available to the villagers and then to others. Again, today we cultivate cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, indigo, etc. Those trained in Nayee Talim will cultivate crops which are essential for life.

ZAKIR HUSAIN: The All-India Congress has appointed the Constructive Programme Committee with Nayakum, Jaju, Kumarappa, Shankarrao Deo, Jugal Kishore, Prafulla Babu, Jairamdas Doulatram and Sucheta Kripalani as its members. In a meeting of the Committee held at Allahabad it was decided that the Talimi Sangh should run a training school and a basic school for a specified area in every province.

JAJU: In accordance with the programme chalked out it was agreed that the work should be carried on by the Provincial Congress Committee, which would be allowed to raise funds for it. In this way we plan to train one lakh students in the country who will be self-supporting as regards cloth.

GANDHIJI: Today the Congress organization is not functioning smoothly. Wherever the Congress is in power, the Provincial Congress Committee and the Government should work in perfect co-operation and be a source of strength to each other. Today, each wishes to have his own way without having any regard for the other. They should work as one organic whole.

SAMPURNANAND: This is not feasible. The Congress Ministries are keen to take up such tasks; you should get the work done by them. But you cannot accomplish this work through the Congress Committees. Today, the Congress Committees want to boss over the Government and this cannot be.

GANDHIJI: It might be suggested that the Government should define their area of jurisdiction. Today, we cannot raise funds from the people. They would refuse to pay as they would have already made their contributions to the Government. We should tell the Ministers that so many funds are required for such and such constructive activity. If they refuse, we should protest to them and put before the people the correct position. But we cannot ask the public to donate for the work which the Government is capable of undertaking.

AVINASHILINGAM: We do collect funds for the Harijans, don’t we?

GANDHIJI: That is a different matter. It is our atonement. AVINASHILINGAM: The Government does not have enough funds to execute all the plans.

GANDHIJI: Of course, people should take up such work as the Government cannot, and also raise funds for it. If we want to serve, our service should be in one direction alone. We have to cross an ocean. This is the time of our trial. We have to disperse the thunder-clouds gathering from all sides. There is no better guide than the Supreme Helmsman who can help maintain the balance and steer our ship in the right direction. Therefore every one of us should gird up his loins and be prepared to perform his duty without finding fault with others.

 

Reference:

Harijan Sevak, 9-11-1947