Mahatma Gandhi and Fasts, Part-3
The many fasts that Gandhiji undertook have been well known
and publicised. But it would be interesting to have a first hand account of what
transpired within the inner circle of Gandhiji around the time he fasted
through Mahadevbhai’s diaries as these diaries bring to light facts which are less
known.
It is also important to understand that while Gandhiji was
against undertaking fasts as a pressure tactic or for fulfillment of any
demands, what were these fasts for? How Gandhiji justified the many fasts he
undertook both publicly as well as within his inner circle?
This post covers the fast undertaken by Gandhiji in
Ahmadabad during the strike of Mill workers’ in the year 1918 as explained in Mahadevbhai’s
diary.
Mahadevbhai’s
Diary- Volume-4 - 13-11-1917 to 17-1-1919.
Date 27-2-1918: [Mahadevbhai]: ‘During today’s morning
prayer while describing the circumstances that had arisen out of the Kheda
Satyagraha and worker’s strike [Gandhiji] spoke: “I have been saying that Satyagraha
cannot be against the Government alone. Satyagraha can be undertaken
under any situation or against anything...In Kheda the Satyagraha is against
the Government, in Ahmedabad it is against the rich...the condition in
Ahmedabad is also beautiful. I feel like sharing with you what the collector
told me yesterday. I have not told this anywhere else. I find it appropriate to
tell this in the ashram. He [collector] said that he is seeing for the first
time in his life only here, a struggle between the mill owners and laborers with
such goodwill. Even I feel that I have not seen such a good relation between
the two parties before. You can see that though Ambalalbhai [Sarabhai] belongs
to the opposite party, he had come for his food here yesterday and I have told
him to take his food here again tomorrow...He understood why I am telling him
to take his food here and he immediately agreed. What can be more beautiful
than this? ...”
Date:12-3-18: [Mahadevbhai]: ...‘ Today Ambalal
Sarabhai’s ‘personal and confidential’ letter arrived. The letter was long. [Gandhiji]
Read and tore the letter...There itself a reply was written. I read the reply
standing overhead. After which I asked to make a copy of the letter.
[Gandhiji] Said that a copy of the letter cannot be made at all. Such things
cannot be made public. It cannot stay [be written] in the diary also. I said
that I will write whatever I remember and so [Gandhiji] agreed... The gist of
Bapu’s letter [to Ambalalbhai Sarabhai] was as follows: “Your [Ambalalbhai’s]
letter came which was read and torn off. I have not desired that there should
be any pressure on the workers. If you will give more details of those pressurizing the workers than I will surly investigate. I am not concerned if workers
join or do not join the work. I have continued to instruct that no worker
should be stopped forcefully from going to the mill...You [Ambalalbhai] have
assigned to me such work that how can I take the pleasure of staying with you?
I greatly desire to meet your children. But how can it be possible right now?
That is all in the future.”...
Date:17-3-1918: [Mahadevbhai]: ‘After the morning prayers
in the ashram [Gandhiji] spoke of his vow/oath [significance of the pledge of
undertaking a fast]’:
[Gandhiji]: “The step that I have taken right now [pledge of
fast] is terrible but big thoughts rest behind it. Terrible because all those who know me in
Hindustan will be deeply saddened, they will lament. But along with that I have
got an opportunity to explain to those people one beautiful element, and I
should not miss that opportunity; with such thoughts I have taken this step [of
fasting]. I have been impatient since past two days to explain to you the
purpose of such a step [of fasting]...I have come here [to the ashram] in spite
of Anasuyaben’s [Sarabhai] great insistence to keep me there...
“...From the ancient culture of Hindustan, I have got such
an element that even if only those of us who are sitting here know of it, then
also we can enjoy the empire of the whole world. But before I explain that, I
wish to say one thing. Right now there is only one person in Hindustan after whom
lakhs of people are crazy, for whom lakhs of people may be ready to give up
their lives. That person is Tilak Maharaj. Many times I feel that Tilak Maharaj
has this great wealth... He has written on the mystery/significance of the
Gita. But I feel that he [Tilak] has not recognized the ancient feeling and soul of Hindustan and so this is the condition of this country today. In his
inner most thoughts he [Tilak] feels that we should become like Europeans...he
suffered six years of imprisonment but that is to show a kind of European
bravery; with such thoughts that let the people who are harassing us right now
see how we can live for five years in jail... had Tilakji suffered the pains of
jail in a spiritual manner then the condition would be different today and the
result of his going to jail also would be different. I want to explain to him
this. Many a times I have told him whatever I have wanted to say very humbly.
But I have not told or written frankly... But this [element] thing is such that
it cannot be explained by speaking or writing. To be able to experience this
thing, I need to give a practical example. I have said it many times indirectly
but if I get an opportunity like this one to give a clear example, I should not
miss it, and this is that kind of an opportunity.
“Similarly, the second such person is Madanmohan Malaviya.
Among the leaders of Hindustan he is the purest of all... However I feel that
though he is so pure and has the knowledge of the Dharma too, he
has not recognized the magnificent soul of Hindustan...This is also an opportunity to show him through practical example. I must show to both of them what
the soul of Hindustan is.
“It has been twenty days since I am mingling with ten
thousand workers. They took a pledge before me keeping Khuda and Ishwar before
them. That time they [workers] took [the pledge] with enthusiasm... they had
believed that by adhering to the pledge for twenty days, Khuda will definitely
help. But Khuda did not help in that much time and put them to further test and
so their faith became weak. They [workers] felt that they trusted
this one man [Gandhiji] for so many days and suffered, and yet we did not
receive anything. Had we not listened to this man [Gandhiji] and had indulged
into Tofan/ mischief then also we would have received more than just 35%
[wage] increase within a short time... I cannot tolerate this situation at all.
That the pledge taken before me can be broken so easily and the reduction in
the faith in God can be said to be the extinction of religion itself. I cannot live to see the extinction of
religion in this way from the work I am involved in. What it means to take a
pledge should be explained to the workers by me. What can I do for it should be
shown by me to the workers. If I cannot show that then I can be called a Baylo/woman... Therefore I took this step [of fasting] to stop the fall of those ten thousand people
[workers]. That is why I took this pledge and it had a lightning effect. I had
not expected it at all. Tears rolled down the eyes of the thousands of people
who were present there. They recognized their soul, their spirit was awakened,
and they got strength to stick to their pledge. I immediately recognized that
religion has not disappeared from Hindustan and people can identify the soul.
If Tilak Maharaj and Malaviyaji can be made to understand this, then a lot of
work can be done in Hindustan...”
[Mahadevbhai]... ‘Explaining his fast he [Gandhiji] spoke
further’:
“My pledge [to not
consume food] is so that the workers can abide by their vow, it is to make
people understand the importance of a pledge ... if ten thousand workers break
their pledge than the country will face destruction. It will be impossible to
raise the issues of workers ever again. Everywhere an example will be given
that for twenty days the workers suffered and they had a leader like Gandhi and
yet they did not win. Therefore I had to think of ways to see that the workers
remained strong somehow. How can I achieve this without putting myself through
pain? ...And so I took this pledge [of fast].
I know that my pledge is impure/polluted. There is a possibility that
the mill owners will take pity on me due to this pledge and give 35% increase to
the workers. .. My wish is that only if they feel that it is justified then
they should give a raise of 35%, and not give anything out of pity. However the
natural outcome would be that and so for that reason alone I am ashamed of this
pledge. I thought of two things- the pledge of the workers and my shame...I
decided to tolerate my shame for the workers...So my pledge [to fast] is not as
a threat to the Mill owners at all and I desire that the mill owners understand
this clearly...
18-March-1918: [Mahadevbhai]: ‘He [Gandhiji] spoke the
following at the time of the prayer:
“Today there is a possibility of a settlement before ten a.m....It
is kind of settlement that I will never accept. But this is the problem of my
pledge...there is a pressure on the Mill owners of my fast. They will feel this
[pressure] no matter how much I say no to the same and the world will not
believe it either..."
[Mahadevbahi]: ‘Today [Gandhiji] gave a reply to Devdas...’:
[Gandhiji]: “...Mill owners have not given [wage increase]
for the steadfastness of the workers but have given [wage increase] due to my
fast is what they believe...I was in a position to ask for more but at that
time I accepted what was minimum, that indicates my simplicity, my humbleness
and my logic. Had I not undertaken a fast, workers would have fallen. They
lasted because of the fast. For such a resolve/vow/pledge, minimum demand alone
is appropriate. ..”
I would like to bring
to the notice of readers here that in his autobiography, 'The story of my experiments
with truth', Gandhiji writes about his fast as part of this strike as follows:
...“One morning-it was at a mill hands’ meeting-while I was
still groping and unable to see my way clearly, the light came to me. Unbidden and
all by themselves the words came to my lips: ‘unless the strikers rally,’ I
declared to the meeting, ‘and continue the strike till the settlement is reached
or till they leave the mills altogether, I will not touch any food.’...
In Mahadevbhai’s diary however, while speaking after the
morning prayers in the Sabarmati ashram, Gandhiji explains in great detail the ‘big
thoughts’ behind his pledge of fasting during the mill workers’ strike – many of
these thoughts are not detailed in Gandhiji’s autobiography.
Further it is interesting to note that in Gandhiji’s
autobiography in the chapters that deal with the workers’ strike in Ahmedabad,
he does not mention or disclose the personal and confidential correspondence
between himself and the industrialist Ambalalbhai Sarabhai, which he did not
wish to make public at the time of the strike.
Mahadevbhai Desai’s diaries therefore detail a history that
is certainly less known.
End.
