GANDHI

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 51, 26 February 1943, Page 4

GANDHI

THE vast broad horizon of India's colourful history presents no more singular figure than the aged emaciated frame of Mahatma Gandhi, the number one personality in a population of something between three hundred and four hundred million souls. Gandhi the patriot, the toiler, the hero'of his people to-day lies near to death in the noble palace of the Aga Khan. His -fast, self inflicted has the appearance of a willing penance taken on behalf of his suffering fellow countrymen, and as a result the movement he founded is daily gaining adherents by the tens of thousands. It has but to be furnished with a martyr to become a veritable landslide of public opinion which is likely to imperil the final English claim upon India as an Empire, within an Empire. In these vital days this possibility is far too significant to be lightly dismissed. It would be folly in the face of these very real possibilities to cling strictly to the letter of the penalties which dictated his detention some six months ago, while tens of millions of his grief maddened followers and believers are openly threatening sabotage and deg.th unless he is released. 'Let us glance back over the facts which led up to his arrest. At the time of the Japanese invasion of Burma, Gandhi had become by sheer honesty of purpose in his desire to serve, the hero of the Hindus, a large section of the Brahmin and Parsee classes, and the very hope of India's 40,000,000 untouchables. A gifted and accomplished man he could have easily enriched himself in private practice as a lawyer or advocate. He chose instead to become the champion of the oppressed masses of his own people and in the process is actually the first leader in Indian history to break down, at least to some extent the indefineable barriers of caste. At a time therefore when British prestige in the East was at its lowest ebb, when indeed it almost appeared as if the very defence of India would be futile in the .face of the all-conquering Jap hordes, Gandhi, ever a pacifist, openly advocated a policy of non-violence against the new and terrible enemy which approached in the guise of a liberator. Full .powers of self government for India were the only measures which would buy his goodwill and co-operation in the Allied cause. His seizure together with many of his followers brought about scenes of chaos and anarchy which

were in effect dying down, until his most recent move—•

the imposition of a 21 days fast, in an effort to force the hand of the administration. To-day the 73-year-old patriot feeble, gaunt but iron-willed lies at death's door. The very seconds which separate him from passing, may yet prove to be the narrow margin which maintains or terminates the British rule in India. Here we assert, in the face of so deadly a display of popular feeling is the occasion for magnanimity on behalf of the government rather than the sowing of seeds of bitterness and hatred for generations.