Mahatma Gandhi Discussion with Natarajan and Devdhar

[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]

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi Discussion with Natarajan and Devdhar

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi discussed with Natarajan and Devdhar on December 18, 1932.

NATARAJAN: What you tried to avoid in England is taking place here. There is a big gulf between the sanatanists and the reformers. It is necessary for you to come out to stop our society from disintegrating. I strongly feel that you should come out to conduct this movement. To use your own words, you have to stand surety to stop this fight. But I do not know how you can come out.

GANDHI: Nor do I. There should be no restrictions on those who want to do only this work. Those who are in jail can also go out saying that they will confine their work only to the eradication of untouchability. But whether or not they should do this, I cannot say. I cannot even say that I would like their doing so. But it is not that anyone who gives up civil disobedience will cease to be my co-worker and will become less dear to me. Suppose I am released unconditionally, it is possible I may advise people to give up civil disobedience. But today I would not like to bind myself by any such condition.

NATARAJAN: Is it not possible to postpone civil disobedience for the time being?

GANDHI: We can think over it after I am unconditionally released.

NATARAJAN: I cannot ask you for an assurance of any sort. But when you say that you have devoted your life to this work, it means that you will leave all other work and will concentrate only on this. You do not wish society to be divided. You want the caste Hindus to accept the Harijans as their own. The caste Hindus as well as the opposition both has faith in you.

GANDHI: We can certainly prevent division.

DEVDHAR: Bitterness can be removed if certain matters are cleared up.

GANDHI: I am not afraid that society will be divided. There may be some bitterness regarding Guruvayur, but I have kept that matter separate from all others.

DEVDHAR: If we go step by step, the sanatanists will join us.

GANDHI: They certainly will. That is why I have laid down so many restrictions with regard to other temples. But if there is laxity in securing the Viceroy’s permission, I will have to undertake the fast.

NATARAJAN: But it will take two months to obtain that because the Bill would remain with him for two months.

DEVDHAR: Why don’t you write to the Government that those who say that they will work only for the eradication of untouchability should be released? You must also make it public that those of your followers who devote themselves exclusively to this work will not, on that account, become less dear to you.

GANDHI: I cannot tell them to take up this work instead of going to jail. In that case,

I myself should first come out by giving such an assurance. Only then I can tell others to do so.

DEVDHAR: If you really feel that this work requires the whole of your lifetime, you can come out without any sort of mental hesitation.

G. No. If I really felt the need for it, I would have written to the Government long ago. Today, it is my firm belief that if I go out in this way, I shall lose all the strength for work.

DEVDHAR: Is it because people consider you a political leader?

GANDHI: No, people see me as a whole, for what I am. They know that politics is only a part of my service to them. They have instinctively understood that my whole life is for the service of the people. This is a question of mental justification. The moment I go out, I shall start wondering what to do in this calamitous situation. It is possible I may think only of civil disobedience and nothing else. I am fully satisfied that I am able to do this work even from here.

DEVDHAR: Try to find some way so that you are able to have these other people released.

GANDHI: The way I have suggested should have an impact on the Government. The Government should itself understand that the whole nation is occupied with this work.

DEVDHAR: Will you not say that this work is equally important and that workers should plunge themselves into it?

GANDHI: Take for instance Jamnalalji. He should not go out on any such condition. If I tell him to do so, he may agree, but I cannot tell him to go out like this. In this movement there is no need of old workers who are in jail. A new class of workers has emerged and I am happy about it. If Jamnalalji himself feels like going out, he can do so with my blessings. But I will not tell him to do so. Many prisoners meet me every fortnight. I have told them that, if they feel like going out by giving an assurance that they will work only for the eradication of untouchability, I will not say that they had done something wrong.