Page 74 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

of God in his heart should have the love of man, of all men, in his heart. Gandhi

decided to appeal to the conscience of both communities. He went on a

twenty- one days' fast. His fast and the attendant suffering and penance melted
hard hearts and rekindled the spirit of tolerance and human affection. A

national unity conference was held in Delhi. Leaders of all communities pledged

to maintain peace and friendship.

Gandhi now threw himself into a nation-wide campaign to build the foundations

of a new nation and to educate people on the essentials of Satyagraha. He had

already inspired a change in the constitution of the Congress. From a forum for
speeches and debates, it had been transformed into an instrument of

democratic action, with membership, elected committees, rules of procedure

and so on. The objective had been defined as Swaraj. The means that it would

use would be "peaceful and legitimate". The Congress had found it difficult to
accept the word 'non-violent' since many in the Congress had accepted non-

violence 'only as a policy', and 'not as a creed'. Gandhi had reconciled himself to

presenting his non-violence through an imperfect medium.

There were other aspects of nation building that needed immediate attention:

Communal Unity, regeneration of spinning and weaving and organizing the

production of khadi to provide self-employment to hundreds of thousands of
villagers; working to ; ensure equal status and opportunities to women; working

to organize kisans, workers, and students; working against discrimination and

untouchability, and to establish social equality; working for the eradication of

evil habits like drinking; working for the welfare of tribals and so on. Gandhi
wanted to reach and serve all sections of people.

It is only when everyone received justice that the nation would become united

in its will to seek freedom and build a new society. Gandhi set up organizations
to undertake these programmes and travelled the length and breadth of the

country in intensive tours to promote what he described as the constructive

programme, — the constructive aspect of the non-violent revolution which was
aimed at creating a new man and a new society. Gandhi also wrote every week

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