FATE OF NON-CO-OPERATORS

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09415777229, 094055338

E-mail- [e-mail];[e-mail]

 

 

FATE OF NON-CO-OPERATORS

 

 

I remain just as confirmed a non-cooperator as ever. And it is not only my political but it is also my domestic and social religion. As I has repeatedly said in these pages, voluntary and health-giving co-operation is impossible without the possibility of non-co-operation at a certain stage and under certain conditions. The Congress does not prescribe to anybody his religion. It is a sensitive barometer from time to time registering the variation in the temperament of politically-minded India. No Congressman is bound to act contrary to his political religion. But he may not now use the name of the Congress for furthering non-co-operation. Under the resolution, the prestige and financial resources of the Congress where they are not earmarked are pledged for the support of furthering the Swarajists Council policy and, therefore, not only are Congress organizations entitled to vote supplies for the furtherance of the Swarajists policy, but they are bound, where they would spend money for Council propaganda at all, to use them for the Swarajists policy. Conversely, no Congress organization where there is a clear majority against spending or raising money for any pure political work is bound by the resolution to do so contrary to their own belief. All Congress resolutions are for guidance and direction; they cannot be for coercion.

The association has nothing to do with political non-cooperation. The preamble precludes politics. I am the President of that association, not in my capacity as a confirmed non-co-operator, but in that of an out-and-out khadi lover. It is a commercial or economic association with philanthropic motives. It will conduct commerce in khaddar not for the benefit of its members but of the nation. The members instead of receiving dividends will give yearly subscriptions. It invites the politically-minded co-operators and non-cooperators, Rajahs, Maharajahs and persons belonging to all castes and creeds who have faith in the economic capacity of the spinning-wheel and khaddar. The correspondent adds: The programme of the Spinners’ Association cannot be complete without the fivefold boycott. I do not see it at all. Why may not the busiest lawyer at least wear khaddar as some are now doing? Why may not the scholars and teachers of Government schools do likewise? The Council-goers are certainly doing it, so far as the Swarajists are concerned. They have taken khaddar to the Assembly and the Councils. Several titled men habitually wear khaddar. The last difficulty of my correspondent is: If the irreconcilable non-co-operators are driven out of the Congress and also find no place in the Spinners’ Association, will it be possible for them to form an all-India association of their own? The question is extremely badly put. No one is ever driven out of the Congress. People may and do retire from it when they find the action of the majority to be in conflict with their conscience. The majority cannot be blamed for not suiting itself to the conscience of a minority. And if there are non-co-operators who consider it to be repugnant to their conscience to remain in the Congress while it countenances Council-entry, they may certainly retire. I would even go further and suggest that they should retire, if by remaining in the Congress they wish to hamper Council work. In my opinion the Congress machinery needs to be worked without any friction from within. I have already shown that there is room for non-co-operators in the Spinners’ Association as there is also for co-operators. If in spite of it there are non-co-operators who consider it their duty to form an all-India association of their own, it is certainly possible for them to do so, but I would consider it to be thoroughly inadvisable. It is enough if the non-co-operators will, for the time being; carry on their non-co-operation in their own persons.