Word: mahatmas
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...Gandhi has announced that he was going to "fast unto death" unless political opponents gave way on some point or other. Five times he has lost a few pounds, won all his points, lived on. At high noon one day last week the skinny, 80-pound, 69-year-old Mahatma sat down before a crowd of sympathetic spectators and ate a meal of brown bread, cooked vegetables, oranges and a cup of hot goat's milk. Then he retired to a rustic cot in a room as bare as a Sing Sing cell and began his sixth fast until...
Also, this fast was different. No longer the kingpin of the Indian National Congress, the Mahatma was out to gain new prestige or martyrdom, or even to test his own power. As an issue he picked on the Thakore Saheb (petty chief) Shri Dharmendrasinhji, ruler of Rajkot, who, like almost any other Indian prince, bears down with a heavily jeweled hand on the 75,540 people in his piddling little State of 282 square miles. It was there that Saint Gandhi got his political start...
Meanwhile, the Thakore Saheb stalled for time. The 29-year-old ruler certainly did not want to be responsible for the Mahatma's death. In no less a pickle was the British Government. Congress Governments made what political capital they could by wiring New Delhi that if Gandhi died, Britain would have to answer for the consequences. Britain did not want to have a dead Gandhi on its hands, but, if Britain gave in on this point and forced the Thakore Saheb to reform his government, a bad precedent would be set. Then Congress leaders could attack other Indian...
...Saheb finally made a move. He released Gandhi's wife from jail and told her: "You should be with Gandhi all the time he is in Rajkot." Answered Mrs. Gandhi: "Since you ask me, I will go and inquire of Gandhi what he would have me do." The Mahatma quickly sent her back to jail...
...from weakening the Indian independence movement, the resignations were expected to strengthen it. The rank and file of Congress members were already clamoring to oust them. Many of the old Congress high command resigned because they wanted to avoid the ignominy of dismissal. The Mahatma's spiritual appeal has long been powerful with the Hindu masses, but the radical Bose program, based on a frankly anti-British policy, has been strongly supported by Indian workers and peasants. For Britain there were definite signs of storms ahead. British viceroys and governors in India will no longer deal with "reasonable" Saint...