Kisan Sabha and Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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Kisan Sabha and Mahatma Gandhi

 

But the main question is whether you want the Kisan Sabhas to strengthen the Congress or to weaken it, to use the Kisan organization to capture the Congress or to serve the kisans, whether the Sabha is to be a rival organization working apparently in the name of the Congress or one carrying out the Congress programme and policy. If it is really a rival organization and Congress organization only in name, its strength and energy will be utilized in resisting the Congress and those of the Congress will be utilized in resisting the Kisan Sabha, with the result that the poor kisans will be ground between the two mill-stones. 1 Then I come to the next point. Now that there is an irresponsible executive why should we pay taxes? Some of our Kisan Sabha friends find the position anomalous. Can’t we refuse to pay taxes? That would be civil disobedience. How can you start nonpayment of taxes on mass scale? 2

But this is a variation upon what you suggested last time. Then you suggested that the Kisan Sabha will have no member who is not a member of the Congress also.  My suggestion is this. You have your own organization where you register all the kisans. As soon as the Kisan becomes your member, he becomes also a Congress member. Matters particularly bearing on the kisans and their relationship with the landlords, etc., are then tackled by your organization while political matters will be tackled by the Congress. 3 You ask me not to wade through the latter but ask my Secretary to go through them and bring to my notice the most important things. You do not know what I am doing and where I am staying. If you did, you would not have dictated that letter, but I see that you are too busy to look at the daily papers or my poor doings in this part of the world. Well, I am in an out-of-the way village hamlet where many dwellings have been burnt down and the contents looted. I have deprived myself of secretarial assistance. I have a Bengali professor who has elected to become my interpreter and teacher and even give me massage, etc. Parasuram of Malabar is with me by accident, and as he came to me as an expert short-hand writer and typist I make occasional use of him for taking down letters such as this. But generally he is in the charge of everything pertaining to my personal wants and I am sorry to confess that this business is so taxing and exacting that it takes the bulk of his time. But he is an uncomplaining, tireless worker, and as he had not had the opportunity of coming in personal touch with me during the two years he has been with me, he loves the work that he is doing now and I love him.

Other fellow-workers have been distributed at the peril of their lives in various burnt and looted villages in the attempt to bring the two warring elements together and bring, if human effort can, peace to this unhappy portion of India. I confess that it is not the only unhappy portion of India, but Destiny chose it for putting me or rather my ahimsa and truth on their trial and here am I undergoing that stiff but self-imposed test. Therefore, you see that either I must myself wade through your papers or neglect them for the time being. But I dare not take the second course for the reason that I invited the task, and I must not complain. I am half through the long documents. It is deeply human and interesting and for the love I have towards you I will like to give much more than cursory attention to the papers you have prepared with such elaboration. As so many trustworthy servants of the nation are up against you, I wish to suggest that you should, for the time being, neglect me and go your way honestly and therefore fearlessly, reposing the fullest trust in your honesty rather than on friends like me of doubtful value because of their national preoccupations and limited capacity for grasping and understanding facts, figures and statements. I however promise that I shall pursue such inquiry as I can during the moments that I can snatch from my present work, and if I can say anything useful I shall write to you. You on your part will not hesitate to give me all the facts you can. 4

I have known Prof. Ranga for a long time. When he mentioned the Kisan work in Andhra in co-operation with Congressmen I had no hesitation in approving of his project. Of your activity I know nothing except through papers. You would please put yourself in touch with the Bihar Congressmen.  If there is enmity between Hindus and Muslims today the masses are not to blame. Opportunists are to blame. Those who have any energy should devote themselves to the uplift of the country without harbouring any prejudices. If there is one great fault in us it is that we cannot refrain from criticizing individuals in public and our public is not educated enough to analyze and judge a speaker. Everyone has virtues and vices. Today when swaraj is about to come, the handful of scholars that we have should make available to the masses whatever they have. Our leaders are almost all becoming old. The scholars should devote themselves to training of the younger generation so that they can carry on our heritage. Mere criticism is not going to help anyone.

 

References:

 

1. Harijan, 23-4-1938
2. Harijan, 25-11-1939
3. The Hindu, 23-1-1945
4. Letter to N. G. Ranga, December 18, 1946
5. Bihar Pachhi Dilhi, p. 337