By
Mahatma Gandhi
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
I want to say something about a Hindu temple in Bahawalpur. It is still there but is no more in the possession of the Hindus. The chief priest of the temple came to see me today. His name is Bhagwandas. He saw with his own eyes how the temple was attacked and how the Hindus ran for their lives by the backdoor. The chief priest also ran away with them. He described to me how he was able to save some women. He could not save them all but quite a number were rescued. He wants me to find a way of bringing over the Hindus still stranded there. I told him that I was doing all that a single individual could do. The Government was trying to do something but it was not easy because one Government should not interfere in the affairs of another. I have said it before and I say it again that what is required at the present juncture is patience. We should not fear death. We must fear dishonour and indignity. To save one’s honour one must lay down one’s life. If someone is asked to embrace Islam or be prepared to die, he must choose death. Death is inevitable and cannot be avoided for ever. This of course does not mean that we should not do what we can to save ourselves but our ultimate trust should be in God.
A refugee came to see me today. He was not a beggar, nor a poor man. He has known prosperity. He lives in a bungalow nearby. The bungalow belonged to a Muslim who ran away. The refugee friend was a friend of that Muslim. He comes from the place where the Muslim has gone to settle. He told him to go and live in his bungalow. Now he says he has received a notice from the Government asking him to vacate the bungalow which is required for public purposes. I have no doubt that the Government would requisition the house. There are many people, ambassadors and others coming from outside and the Government would want to provide them proper accommodation. After all the Government cannot put up new houses by magic. It is said that sages had this power in former times. It is related in the Ramayana how the sage Bharadwaja had made a whole city appear from nowhere with the power of his mantra. Today I know of no such mantra. I therefore can understand it if the Government requisitions houses when it wants them but it should then provide alternative accommodation to the people living there. If the Government just pushes out the occupants, where are they to go? I am sure the Government cannot act thus. But if such a notice has been received I cannot really hold out any assurance of help. I myself do not have a house of my own. I am living in another’s house. The affected person should approach the Government. I still think that what he says is not correct but if it is, it is a painful matter. I know that anyone lawfully residing in a house cannot be served with such a notice.
I have several other letters. A correspondent attributes to me the statement that in Bombay everyone was allowed to draw one seer of rice per day as his rationed quota. So far as I remember I never said this. In the present conditions of scarcity one seer of rice per day per head would be too liberal an allowance. Still I shall see what I had said.¹ He says the quota is a quarter seer per head, per day. This means one seer in four days. This is not too bad. But in fact I recollect it was only one seer in seven days. But if I had said that the allowance was one seer per head per day it should be taken as incorrect.
There are so many notes and letters that I find it difficult to decide which one to take up. One says that I am staying here in Birla House where poor people cannot enter; formerly when I was in Bhangi Colony poor people could approach me. What he says is true and I like it. I think I had referred to this the first time I came here.² I came here at a time when Delhi was in the grip of communal rioting. The town looked like a graveyard. Bhangi Colony had also become crowded with refugees and it was feared that anything might happen anywhere. So the Sardar said that he would not allow me to live there. So they moved me to Birla House. I did not object because after all I cannot make do with a room. There had to be an office and a kitchen, and moreover there are many people living with me. Here I am also within easy reach of the ministers. They do not send for me. They themselves come to me. It is their kindness. It takes them only two minutes to come here. It took them 10 to 16 minutes to go to Bhangi Colony. The Muslim brethren also find it easy to come here while they are scared of going to Bhangi Colony. It will be a great thing if we can save such of them as are left. Today goondaism rules the streets. Anyone going on a bicycle is pulled down and his money or watch is snatched away. Even those travelling in cars are stopped and looted. Such is our present plight. It is a matter of great shame.
[From Hindi]
Courtesy: All India Radio. Also Prarthana Pravachan—II, pp. 283-5
Notes
- 1. Vide p. 328.
- 2. Vide Vol. LXXXIX, pp. 167-8.
Notes
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