Gandhi and AnarchySankaran Nair, C. (Chettur), Sir
History
Gandhi and Anarchy
Sankaran Nair, C. (Chettur), Sir
Gandhi, Mahatma, 1869-1948 -- Political and social views; India -- Politics and government -- 1919-1947
"A few Europeans and many Hindus, have been murdered, communications
have been obstructed, Government offices burnt and looted and records
have been destroyed, Hindu temples sacked, houses of Europeans and
Hindus burnt, according to reports Hindus were forcibly converted to
Islam and one of the most fertile tracts of South India is faced with
certain famine. The result has been the temporary collapse of the Civil
Government, the offices and Courts have ceased to function and ordinary
business has been brought to a standstill. European and Hindu refugees
of all classes are concentrated at Calicut and it is satisfactory to
note that they are safe there. One trembles to think of the consequences
if the forces of order had not prevailed for the protection of Calicut.
The non Muslim in these parts was fortunate indeed that either he or his
family or his house or property came under the protection of the
soldiers and the police. Those who are responsible for causing this
grave outbreak of violence and crime must be brought to justice and made
to suffer the punishment of the guilty.
Effect of violent preaching
"But apart from direct responsibility, can it be doubted that when poor
unfortunate and deluded people are led to believe that they should
disregard the law and defy authority, violence and crime must follow?
This outbreak is but another instance on a much more serious scale and
among a more turbulent and fanatical people, of the conditions that have
manifested themselves at times in various parts of the country and,
gentlemen, I ask myself and you and the country generally what else can
be the result from instilling such doctrines into the minds of the
masses of the people? How can there be peace and tranquility when
ignorant people, who have no means of testing the truth of the
inflamatory and too often deliberately false statements made to them,
are thus misled by those whose design is to provoke violence and
disorder. Passions are thus easily excited to unreasoning fury.
The Leader of the Movement
"Although, I freely acknowledge that the leader of the movement to
paralyse authority, persistently, and, as I believe, in all earnestness
and sincerity, preaches the doctrine of non-violence and has even
reproved his followers for resorting to it, yet again and again it has
been showed that his doctrine is completely forgotten and his
exhortations absolutely disregarded when passions are excited as must
inevitably be the consequence among emotional people.
Its inevitable result
"To those who are responsible for the peace and good government of this
great Empire and I trust that to all men of sanity and common sense in
all classes of society, it must be clear that the defiance of the
Government and constituted authority can only result in widespread
disorder, in political chaos, in anarchy and in ruin."
APPENDIX II
DIABOLICAL ATROCITIES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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