Wishesh June 2015 Online E-Magazine

Next day, Gandhi, who was apprehensive of his arrest,
informed Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The news given to me
of my impending arrest was said to be absolutely
authentic. But we have reached the second stage. We
take the third tonight’17
The second halt of the Dandi marchers was at Bareja,
a village with a Population of 2,500. He emphasised
the importance of khadi, its production and use by
the villagers. ‘Khadi is the foundation of our freedom
struggle.... I request you to renounce luxuries and buy
khadi from this heap before you’.
‘We have come forward to win our freedom from
this tyrannical and oppressive Government. If we
cannot put our own house in order in an organized
manner, how shall we run the country’s Government?
I ask you, therefore,
to learn order and
organization.... This
struggle against the
Government on which
we have embarked is
not going to reach its
conclusion with five,
or twenty-five, or even
millions of men getting
killed. We have to look
after other things also
simultaneously.’18
As Gandhi entered
the Kheda district,
memories—some
sweet, some bitter—
filled his mind. It was
while working in
this district that he
became one with the
lives of people. He
had seen nearly all the
villages of the district
and had covered many
of them on foot. He stated, ‘I have come to Navagam in
the middle of a battle... The Government found some
pretext or other to arrest Vallabhbhai... Pressure was
brought to hear on the Magistrate some how to serve
a notice on Sardar and he was arrested. What could a
poor Magistrate do where the entire atmosphere is
vitiated?19
When some headmen and matadars of Kheda district
submitted their resignations as a protest against the
oppressive policy of the government, Gandhi advised
them, ‘Remember that in the resignations you have
handed in, I see God’s hand. The Kheda District has
made an auspicious beginning.’20
At Vasana, where the villagers had gathered to accord
reception to the marchers and listen to their leader,
Gandhi explained that abolition of the salt-tax or
remission of some taxes would not mean swaraj for
them. Winning of swaraj was not going to be so easy as
they might think. It was only a way to it and by following
it they would reach the goal of freedom. He had a word
of praise for the headmen of Navagam, Vavdi, Agam,
Mahelaj and other villages who had tendered their
resignations. ‘Why should they stick to Headmanship
for the mere five rupees a month that the government
pays them? If the Collector summons a Headman, let
him say, ‘Give us back our Sardar. Grant us a remission
in land revenue.’21
At Nadiad, a town with a population of thirty-one
thousand, Gandhi reminded the people, ‘Bound by
the chains of slavery, we are being crushed at present
and we want to shake
them off.’ He wished all
government servants
to give up their jobs. A
government job gave
them the power to
tyrannize over others.
Finally, be asked them
to enlist themselves
as volunteers. And
as soon as he got
behind the bars or as
soon as the All-India
Congress Committee
gave a call, they should
come forward to offer
themselves for being
jailed. ‘Then alone
shall I believe that
Nadiad has made its
contribution to our
struggle’22
In a letter to
Jayaprakash Narayan
which Gandhi wrote
from Anand on 17 March, he explained, ‘No where
else have I observed such zeal for sacrifice as has
been displayed by the Ashram women. At present the
women are to a great extent managing the internal
affairs of the Ashram. The chance of acquiring such
experience will never be repeated. I would therefore
advise you to send Prabhavati there. After my arrest
the Ashram women too will court imprisonment. I
think Prabhavati should join them. She is worthy in
every respect.’23
At Anand, an educational centre of Patidars, Gandhi
demanded, ‘In your hands lies the honour of the
Patidars of Charotar. You are like salt in the sea of
Patidars. If the salt loses its savour, wherewith shall
it be salted? Salt is more sapid than either sugar or
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