Page 115 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

there was a change of heart. A few days later, on the 14th of August, on the

eve of Independence, the two communities jointly waved the national flag and

celebrated the coming of Independence. But the peace was fragile. Anger
welled up again. The desire for retaliation asserted itself; on the 31st August a

menacing mob of Hindus, armed with lethal weapons approached and

surrounded the house. They were looking for Suhrawardy. But Suhrawardy had

left a few minutes ago. Their quarry had escaped. But their fury did not abate.
The missiles that they had brought flew past Gandhi. They were in no mood to

listen to him.

Gandhi saw that he could salvage the situation only with an appeal to the

highest in man. He had always believed that man had both the beast and the

super human in him. The way to enter their hearts and tap the springs of

divinity or 'humanness' was through a fast. He went on a fast on the 1st of
September. It worked the miracle. It melted hearts. The leaders of all

communities gathered and assured him that the chapter of hatred and violence

would be closed forever. Hindus and Muslims danced on the streets with joy

and embraced each other. The world hailed his success as a miracle. He had
accomplished what many divisions of the army could not accomplish elsewhere.

Lord Mountbatten hailed him as 'the one man Peace Brigade'.

Gandhi now felt that his work in the East was done, and he should hurry to the

Punjab from where harrowing tales of misery and carnage were pouring in.

Meanwhile the day that had been set for the transfer of power arrived. On the

15th of August, India and Pakistan were to emerge as two Independent states,
after nearly three centuries of foreign domination. The day for which the

people of India had longed and struggled and suffered had arrived. But the man

who had taken them from the wilderness to the threshold of power and

independence was himself struggling in the wilderness, carrying his cross on his
shoulders. He was far away from the jubilation and revelry of the capitals. The

new Government asked him for a message. He said he had no message — no

new message to give.

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