By
Mahatma Gandhi
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
I told you yesterday in my written message and I also mentioned earlier that we should all know our respective places. We must know when to speak and when to keep silent and how to conduct ourselves, so that even if millions are there there should be no disturbance and no feeling of crowding. This is what happens with armies. They maintain an external discipline. What happens internally is another matter. We have not had this kind of training. I have often noticed that, when after the prayer I rise to go, people want to take a peep at me from all around and crowd round me. Good manners demand that after the prayer meeting is over everyone should quietly remove himself. Each one should ponder on whatever good things I may have said and go home.
I have a letter from Bahawalpur. I once spoke about Bahawalpur to you.¹ The people there liked what I said. They want me to mention the matter again and repeat that all the Hindus and Sikhs who are still there and who want to leave the place should be allowed to do so. All those who want to come have not been able to come. There are still a large number of people there. They want that no obstacle should be placed in their way and they should not be subjected to any assaults. Whether my saying anything on the subject will have any effect God alone knows. But one must make an effort whatever the effectiveness of one’s effort might be. Of course the Nawab has said that Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs are equal in his eyes. And he is equally interested in the welfare of all his subjects. When he says so, who am I to question his motives? Still I can plead with him and his officials that those Hindus and Sikhs who do not want to stay there should be allowed to leave. It is his duty to put them on a train and have them safely escorted to the border. But even if he cannot do so he can at any rate allow them to leave on their own, taking away such of their property as they can. It will be a matter of thankfulness if he can do this much. But I do not want to limit myself to only making a plea to the Nawab. I want to tell Qaid-e-Azam Jinnah and his Government that today it has become impossible for a Hindu or any non-Muslim to live peaceably in Sind. Those Hindus who are called untouchables are particularly harassed there and they have no means of livelihood. They at least should not be subjected to indignities. Those who are not happy living there should be allowed to leave. If their conditions of life are made easy even those who have left Sind will go back there, seeing that Sind has regained its former state. But at present that is not the case. Even their schools have been taken over for the use of refugees who have gone there from Kathiawar. They say that the needs of the refugees are the first priority. How can Hindus live in Sind under such conditions? It will only mean that Pakistan has become Islamistan where no non-Muslim may live or where he can live only as a slave. I think no one will like to be a slave. This sort of thing is in no one’s interest. I have many other things to say and only fifteen minutes to say them.
I had spoken to you about Pandharpur.² There is a temple there of Lord Vithoba. It is the largest temple in Maharashtra. I have visited it. I had suggested that it should be opened to Harijans. Afterwards the trustees of the temple also supported my demand. When I got the news that the temple had been opened to the Harijans I had told you of it. Everyone seemed content and no voice was raised in opposition. Now they say that a large number of Brahmin priests are unhappy over this because the temple is visited by many Harijans every day. Some of the priests seem to have gone on a fast. This has distressed me. I have received this wire only today, and since I cannot reach there in any other way I think I should make a mention of the matter here and maybe my voice will reach Pandharpur. I want to say in all humility and sincerity that those who have resorted to the fast and still call themselves priests are really not priests. They are serving neither themselves nor Hinduism. The image in the temple is the image of Vithoba, i. e., of Krishna or Vishnu. It could not be the will of Vishnu that some should have His glimpse and others may not. In my view as long as the Harijans were barred from the temple it had not been really consecrated. Why should these people now fast? A Bill has been passed concerning Harijans’ entry into temples. Even the lawmakers are Hindus. When millions of Hindus say that the temple should be opened to Harijans, how can they say that it should remain closed? I see no merit in the fast. I think it is sinful and should be given up. I think the priests should relent and say they were mistaken and their eyes have now been opened. It cannot be that in the temple of God one man should be admitted and another kept out. It is believed that visiting a temple cleanses the sinner of his sins in the same way as bathing in the Ganga does. I personally do not support the view that the water from the Ganga washes away the sins but it is a belief widely held. And maybe it does good to one who bathes in the Ganga in the faith that his sins will be washed away. Besides who can say that Harijans are all sinners? There are among Harijans persons of great merit as well as sinners.
A complaint has been sent to me pertaining to Bombay. It may be true of other places too. The complaint is that very little rice is supplied to card-holders in Bombay, perhaps half a seer in a week. This is wholly inadequate and will encourage black-marketing. I will say that control should go. Some people argue that rationing has brought much relief to cities. I think it should be removed from the cities too. If everyone conducts himself honestly there will be no need for controls.
[From Hindi]
Courtesy: All India Radio. Also Prarthana Pravachan—II, pp. 254-5
Notes
- 1. Vide p. 288.
- 2. Vide Vol. LXXXIX, p. 478.
Notes
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