Freedom's Battle: Being a Comprehensive Collection of Writings and Speeches on the Present SituationGandhi, Mahatma
Religion
Freedom's Battle: Being a Comprehensive Collection of Writings and Speeches on the Present Situation
Gandhi, Mahatma
British -- India; India -- Politics and government -- 1919-1947; Nonviolence
As I said this morning one essential condition for the progress of India
is Hindu-Muslim Unity. I understand that there was a little bit of
bickering between Hindus and Mussalmans to-day in Bezwada. My brother
Maulana Shaukat Ali adjusted the dispute between the two communities and
he illustrated in his own person the entire efficacy of one item in the
first stage of Non-co-operation. He sat without any vakils appearing
before him for either parties to arbitrate on the dispute between them.
He required no postponement for the consideration of the question from
time to time. His fees consisted in a broken lead pencil. That is what
we should do, if all the lawyers suspended practice and set up
arbitration for the settlement of private disputes. But why was there
any quarrel at all? It is laughable in the extreme when you come to
think of it. Because the Hindus seem to have played music whilst passing
the mosque. I think it was improper for them to do so. Hindu Moslem
Unity does not mean that Hindus should cease to respect the prejudices
and sentiments cherished by Mussalmans. And as this question of music
has given rise to many a quarrel between the two communities it behoves
the Hindus, if they want to cultivate true Hindu-Moslem Unity, to
refrain from acts which they know injure the sentiments of their
Mussalman brethren. We may not take undue advantage of the great spirit
of toleration that is developing in Mussalmans and do things likely to
irritate them. It is never a matter of principle for a Hindu procession
to continue playing music before mosques. And now that we desire
voluntarily to respect Mussalman sentiment, we should be doubly careful
at a time when Hindus are offering assistance to Mussalmans in their
troubles. That assistance should be given in all humility and without
any arrogation of rights. To my Mussalman brethren I would say that it
would become their dignity to restrain themselves and not feel irritated
when any Hindu had done anything to irritate their religious sentiment.
But in any event, you have today presented to you a remedy for the
settlement of any such issue. We must settle our disputes by arbitration
as was done this after-noon. You cannot always get a Moulana Shankat
Ali, exercising unrivalled influence on the community. But we can always
get people enough in our own villages, towns and districts who exercise
influence over such villages and towns and command the confidence of
both the communities. The offended party should consider it its duty to
approach them and not to take the law in its own hands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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