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
This government of ours is an unscrupulous corporation. It has ruled by
dividing Mussalmans from Hindus. It is quite capable of taking advantage
of the internal weaknesses of Hinduism. It will set the 'depressed'
classes against the rest of the Hindus, non-Brahmins against Brahmins.
The Gujarat Senate resolution does not end the trouble. It merely points
out the difficulty. The trouble will end only when the masses and
classes of Hindus have rid themselves of the sin of untouchability. A
Hindu lover of Swaraj will as assiduously work for the amelioration of
the lot of the 'depressed' classes as he works for Hindu-Muslim unity.
We must treat them as our brothers and give them the same rights that we
claim for ourselves.
THE SIN OF UNTOUCHABILITY
It is worthy of note that the subjects Committee accepted without any
opposition the clause regarding the sin of untouchability. It is well
that the National assembly passed the resolution stating that the
removal of this blot on Hinduism was necessary for the attainment of
Swaraj. The Devil succeeds only by receiving help from his fellows. He
always takes advantage of the weakest spots in our natures in order to
gain mastery over us. Even so does the Government retain its control
over us through our weaknesses or vices. And if we would render
ourselves proof against its machination, we must remove our weaknesses.
It is for that reason that I have called non-co-operation a process of
purification. As soon as that process is completed, this government must
fall to pieces for want of the necessary environment, just as mosquitos
cease to haunt a place whose cess-pools are filled up and dried.
Has not a just Nemesis overtaken us for the crime of untouchability?
Have we not reaped as we have sown? Have we not practised Dwyerism and
O'Dwyerism on our own kith and kin? We have segregated the 'pariah' and
we are in turn segregated in the British Colonies. We deny him the use
of public wells; we throw the leavings of our plates at him. His very
shadow pollutes us. Indeed there is no charge that the 'pariah' cannot
fling in our faces and which we do not fling in the faces of Englishmen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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