Page 61 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

and produced in Court. But the trial had to be postponed because the

Magistrate did not know whether the massive crowds that had thronged to the

premises of the court would remain peaceful. He postponed the trial and
sought Gandhi's help to control the crowds.

In the meanwhile, the Viceroy and the Governor ordered that the case against

Gandhi should be withdrawn, and he should be allowed to proceed with his
enquiry. Gandhi was set free. Gandhi resumed the work of collecting evidence.

He, and his colleagues interviewed thousands of peasants and recorded their

evidence after questioning the witnesses, to be sure that what was being
recorded was nothing but unvarnished truth. Even the British officers of the

Indian Civil Service were impressed by Gandhi's relentless and dispassionate

concern for truth. The Government received reports that the evidence was

overwhelming and indisputable. They appointed a Commission of enquiry, and
made Gandhi a member of the Commission. After a careful assessment of the

evidence, the Commission upheld Gandhi's case in every respect. The system

that compelled plantation of Indigo was given up, and it was agreed that the

peasants would be paid reasonable compensation. This was the first victory of
Satyagraha in India.

While taking evidence, Gandhi had also been appalled by the poverty, illiteracy
and shocking sanitary conditions in the villages. He set up schools and centres

of popular education, and called his friends from Bihar, Gujarat, Bombay and

elsewhere to go to Champaran and work for the betterment of the conditions of

the villagers. Acharya Kripalani was then working as a Professor in Muzaffarpur.
He joined Gandhi, and became one of his closest associates.

Gandhi was still in Champaran when he was informed about the serious trouble

that was brewing in Ahmedabad. The workers of the textile mills were restless.
It was feared that they might go on strike, and the city might be in the grip of

violent disturbances. Anasuyaben Sarabhai, who was working with industrial

labour sought his help. So did the mill-owners who were led by Anasuyaben's
brother, Ambalal Sarabhai. Even the Collector, who was the representative of

the British Government, asked Gandhi whether he could not step in to save the

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