Page 91 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

weekly called Harijan, established an organization with the specific purpose of

working for the abolition of untouchability and for the welfare of the 'Harijans'.

Leaders of the so-called high castes took up the work of this organization in all
States of India.

But Gandhi was still in prison. The Government was not keen to give him

facilities for public contact even to carry on the compaign against
untouchability that he had launched. So he went on another fast — a 21-day

fast to quicken the conscience of the caste Hindus and to convince the

Government of his earnestness to work for the cause of the Harijans. He let it
be known that he had no intention of taking up programmes of Civil

Disobedience in the immediate future.

Gandhi was released in August 1933. He went on a whirlwind tour of the
country to persuade people to root out untouchability and to make amends for

the evil practice. Thousands of temples were thrown open. Other restrictions

were given up. Wells, roads and other public places were opened to the

Harijans. But his task was not easy. He was challenged and obstructed by the
orthodox in many places. They demonstrated with black flags and abuse. There

was an attempt to blow up his motorcade. But they had not reckoned with the

fighter in Gandhi. Gandhi confronted them as perhaps no other social reformer
or religious leader had done in the past. He challenged them to prove that

untouchability was a part of the Hindu religion. How could a religion that

believed in Advaita, or oneness, treat anyone as untouchable? No scriptural text

could take the place of reason, morality and conscience. Nor was there any
scriptural text that justified untouchability. There may be interpolations.

Anyway, who were these so- called Sanatanists to interpret religious texts? The

texts themselves defined the qualifications of one who had the right to

interpret. Only a person who kept the five basic vows of Truth, Ahimsa,
Brahmacharya, Non-possession, and Non-stealing, in letter and spirit, had the

right to interpret. It was almost like the saying "let one who is without sin cast

the first stone". In his gentle but firm way he overcame the resistance of
religious persons. Even a Shankaracharya had to stand aside. It was only the

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