Gandhi-Irwin Interview

[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]

 

 

Gandhi-Irwin Interview

 

 

When he saw the Viceroy, the interview was a cold affair. Lord Irwin placed in his hands the Secretary of State’s announcement regarding the Simon Commission, and when asked whether that was all the business, Lord Irwin said “Yes”. Gandhiji felt that a one-anna envelope would have reached it to him.

In fact, Gandhi and Irwin had a long conversation at this first meeting at which they listened to one another with exemplary patience and courtesy. Gandhi was in good humor promising to convert the Viceroy to khaddar. He listened to Irwin attentively, and, after he had finished, developed his own general political philosophy at length. He saw no need for British tutelage. He was prepared to wait indefinitely rather than ask India to impair the self-respect she ought to have. Parliament, he said, should give India what India desired. Therefore he felt remote from all these things. Congress was trying to serve an idea the idea of non-co-operation which would ultimately impress itself upon the mind of Parliament, Communalism would pass; the communities had been trying to absorb India. It was Irwin’s experience of the Mahatma’s incoherent political technique. He found him vague but without bitterness, and in conversation pleasantly reasonable. But there was little in his discourse on which the Viceroy’s practical mind could take hold. Only when Gandhi and the others said that they attached little importance to the procedure by which the representatives from the Indian Legislature would be invited to confer with the English Parliamentary Committee did Irwin seize the chance of telling them sharply that if they refrained from availing themselves of this opportunity, they would be committing a political blunder of the first magnitude and would hopelessly prejudice British opinion against their case.

It is believed in certain quarters that His Excellency the Viceroy was prompted by a mandate from Whitehall that India should accept as fait accompli an absolutely parliamentary Commission consisting of representatives of all British political Parties; and that those who might prove to be pestilential agitators should be told beforehand that the Government would stand no more bluff and nonsense. Indians will, however, be associated in the work of the Commission in the capacity of assessors. Even in regard to the selection of assessors the communal clamour will be heard; but this can be silenced by appointing only official Indians as assessors. This is believed to be the substance of the Viceroy’s lecture. Mr. Gandhi said that such a Commission would be a failure as self-respecting Indian opinion could not but resent such deliberate insult. It can lead only to boycott of the Commission. However, to him, and to those of his way of thinking the Commission was not of any consequence, however well composed it might be and however liberal its terms of reference. Asked if he would advise his countrymen, particularly the Swarajists, to co-operate with the Commission in its investigation, Mr. Gandhi said that it was none of his business. He was not prepared to induce anybody to co-operate with the Commission. The Swarajists were all veterans in political warfare and not children to be dictated to. Mr. Gandhi, however, assured His Excellency that he would not himself initiate a movement for boycott of the Commission as he had long since abdicated the political functions of leadership to the Swarajists. Mr. Gandhi, in conclusion, said that he would not as indeed he could not prevent anyone from participating in the work of the Commission.