Page 78 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners
P. 78
GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners
to the salary the Viceroy drew. It was seven hundred times the income of the
ordinary Indian peasant. The Viceroy perhaps did not need his salary since he
was a Lord. Perhaps he could spend more than the amount of his salary in
charity. But the disparity was shocking and unjust. England had ruined India
politically, economically and morally. They should make amends. But they
would not do so unless forced to do so. So it became a question of matching
forces. The people in India had the force of justice, the force of the spirit of
Satyagraha. It could overcome the force of arms. And then he went on to spell
out his plan.
Along with a band of tried and tested followers he would march from
Ahmedabad to Dandi on the sea to manufacture salt on the sea shore, from the
waters of the sea, thus defying the laws of the British Government. He asked
people all over India to wait till he had broken the law first.
The Viceroy and his colleagues ridiculed Gandhi's plan, and said that Gandhi
would drown in a pool of ridicule. They said it was the maddest of all Gandhi's
mad plans. Many Indians too were sceptical.
They wondered how the mighty British Government could be brought down by
picking up a pinch of salt on the sea shore.
On the day appointed for the march to start from Gandhi's Ashram at
Sabarmati, the whole country was agog and expectant. The air quivered with
excitement. The world press which had learnt of Gandhi's plans was at
Sabarmati to report the great event to the world. Gandhi told them that his
was a fight of right against might, and he wanted the sympathy of the world in
the fight.
He had selected 78 of his colleagues — indeed a small army — from the Ashram
to set out on the march. There were strict rules to ensure that there would be
no violence. It was declared that they would let themselves be cut to pieces,
rather than raise their hands against anyone. They would go forward. They
would die on the way rather than return without freedom. They would not
return even if the Ashram was on fire or their near ones were on their death
beds. As they marched, the people of India were on tip toe. At every village
www.mkgandhi.org Page 77
