Word: saheb
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...India, Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi publicly apologized for his recent hunger strike victory over the autocratic Thakore Saheb of Rajkot. It was coercion, said the Mahatma, to have accepted British intercession. "I should have been content to die if I could not have melted the Thakore Saheb's heart...
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...
...Saint's first move was to warn the Thakore Saheb to reform his autocratic government. Ignored, the Saint sent his wife to start a civil disobedience campaign. She was thrown in jail. Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress voted down Gandhi's Rightist candidate for President, elected instead Subhas Chander Bose, a prominent Leftist. Last week Saint Gandhi decided to stop eating. Doctors warned against the fast, but he replied that he was not worth much in insurance. He quickly lost two pounds. His feet puffed up with dropsical swelling. Early this week he was in a desperate condition...
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...
...week's end the Thakore 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...