Editing Content :: Admin Scraper

Chapter

Content type

Position

Value

M AHATMA G ANDHI AND THE N ATIONALIST M OVEMENT 311 Source 8 Fortnightly Reports of the Home Department (Confidential) FOR THE FIRST HALF OF MARCH 1930 foretold freely but it seems quite possible that nonfulfilment of the forecast is The rapid political developments in Gujarat are upsetting plans. being closely watched here. To what extent and in what directions they will affect political Madras condition in this province, it is difficult to surmise The opening of Gandhi’s civil disobedience at present. The peasantry is for the moment campaign has completely overshadowed all engaged in harvesting a good rabi; students are other issues. General opinion inclines to pre-occupied with their impending examinations. regard his march as theatrical and his programme as impracticable, but as he is Central Provinces and Berar The arrest of Mr. Vallabh Bhai Patel caused little held in such personal reverence by the Hindu public generally, the possibility of arrest excitement, except in Congress circles, but a which he seems deliberately to be courting meeting organised by the Nagpur Nagar and its effect on the political situation are Congress Committee to congratulate Gandhi on viewed with considerable misgiving. the start of his march was attended by a crowd of over 3000 people at Nagpur. The 12th of March was celebrated as the day of inaugurating the civil disobedience Bengal campaign. In Bombay the celebrations took The outstanding event of the past fortnight has the form of saluting the national flag in been the start of Gandhi’s campaign of civil the morning. disobedience. Mr. J.M. Sengupta has formed an All-Bengal Civil Disobedience Council, and the Bombay Bengal Provincial Congress Committee has Press Kesari indulged in offensive language formed an All Bengal Council of Disobedience. and in its usual attitude of blowing hot and But beyond forming councils no active steps have cold wrote: “If the Government wants to yet been taken in the matter of civil disobedience in Bengal. test the power of Satyagraha, both its action and inaction will cause injury to it. If it The reports from the districts show that the arrests Gandhi it will incur the discontent meetings that have been held excite little or no of the nation; if it does not do that, the interest and leave no profound impression on movement of civil disobedience will go on the general population. It is noticeable, however, spreading. We therefore say that if the that ladies are attending these meetings in Government punishes Mr. Gandhi the nation increasing numbers. will have won a victory, and if it lets him alone it will have won a still greater victory.” Bihar and Orissa On the other hand the moderate paper There is still little to report regarding Congress Vividh Vritt pointed out the futility of the activity. There is a good deal of talk about a movement and opined that it could not campaign to withhold payment of the chaukidari achieve the end in view. It, however, tax, but no area has yet been selected for reminded the government that repression experiment. The arrest of Gandhi is being would defeat its purpose. contd Reprint 2026-27