Happy Birthday Gandhiji - 02-10-2020
SPEECH ON KHEDA SITUATION, BOMBAY
I don't want to mention much. I even have received a letter asking me to be present at tomorrow’s deputation, that's getting to serve His Excellency the Governor, and that i am sure i will be able to be able to inform him truth facts. Still, i need to make it clear here that the responsibility of the notice, issued by the Gujarat Sabha lies on me. i used to be at Ahmedabad before that notice was issued, where the matter of Kheda district was being discussed, when it had been decided that the Gujarat Sabha need to participate within the matter. i feel that, as regards this notice, a mountain has been made out of a molehill. Everyone knew what the notice was when it had been being framed. Nobody then even dreamt that Government would misinterpret it. The Sabha had with it sufficient data about the plight of the people. They came to understand that officialdom were collecting taxes and therefore the people were even selling their cattle to pay the taxes. The matter had come to such a pass, and, knowing this, the Sabha thought it better to issue a notice to console the people that braved these hardships. and therefore the notice was the results of that information, and that i have every hope that, within the deputation that's getting to serve the Governor, the results of the deliberations will end within the success of the people.
If the Commissioner had not been angry with us, and had talked politely with the deputation that waited on him, and had not misinstructed the Bombay Government, such a grave crisis wouldn't have eventuated, and that we wouldn't have had the difficulty of meeting here tonight . The Sabha’s request was to suspend the gathering of dues till the negotiations were over. But Government didn't take this proper course and issued an angry Press Note. it had been my firm belief—and even now I firmly believe—that the representatives of the people and Government could have joined together and brought the right steps. I regret to possess to mention that Government has made an error . Perhaps subordinate officers of state would tell Government that the notice was issued not from a pure motive, but from another ulterior motive. If Government are impressed with this error , those that have stood by the people, I hope, will still stand by them to the top and can not retreat. Any responsible right-thinking man could have given them an equivalent advice. People possess an equivalent rights because the authorities have, and public men have every right to advise the people of their rights. The folks that don't fight for his or her rights are like slaves, and such people don't deserve self-government . When authorities think that they will take anything from the people and may interfere, a difficult situation arises and if such a situation arises, i need to plainly say that those that have given the people the proper advice will stand by them till the top .
I have not yet come to any conclusion, and that i sincerely trust that those that understand the responsibility won't hesitate to undergo hardships so as to secure justice. And in such an eventuality I hope you'll not beat an ignominious retreat. the primary and therefore the last principle of nonviolent resistance is that we should always not inflict hardships on others, but put up with them ourselves so as to urge justice, and Government needn't fear anything, if we structure our mind, as we are bent getting sheer justice from it and zip else. to urge that justice we must fight with the authorities, and therefore the folks that don't so fight are but slaves. we will have only two weapons on occasions like this: revolt or nonviolent resistance , and my request is for the second remedy always. the proper of suffering hardships, and claiming justice and getting one’s demands is from one’s birth. Similarly, we've to urge justice at the hands of the govt by suffering hardships. We must suffer hardships like brave men. What I even have to mention is: resort to the proper means, which very firmly, so as to get rid of the distress through which the people of Gujarat are passing. it's my conviction that if we tell the reality to British Government it can ultimately be convinced, and if only we are firm in our resolve, rest assured that Kheda people shall suffer wrongs no more.
The Bombay Chronicle, 5-2-1918
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