Gandhi's entry

 "In 1916, less than a year after his arrival in India, he was invited by Annie Besant for the inauguration ceremony of Banaras Hindu University. Gandhi delivered a sharply-worded speech at the event in the presence of the Viceroy, Lord Harding, a galaxy of maharajas and the top educationists of the time.

He sharply criticized the use of English, the filth that was allowed to gather around India’s temples, the civic sense of railway travellers, and admonished the maharajas present for the jewels they were wearing. He accused them of stealing wealth from the poor farmers and, to cap it all, even blamed the chief guest, Lord Harding, for creating ‘a wall of distrust’ by surrounding himself with such heavy security. The final straw was when he asked the Viceroy to ‘go home to England’.

This was so unexpected and outlandish that his outspokenness evoked disfavour. Annie Besant, seated on the dais, shouted at Gandhi asking him to stop, while the maharajas left in disgust. The event had to be called off to avoid further embarrassment to the dignitaries, but the audience seemed appreciative of Gandhi’s approach. The gentry in India were indeed discovering Gandhi."

• Shyamala Sanyal

  Waah !

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Shyamala Sanyal today when slums and malls coexist, and the mararajahs are all around, minus crowns. I wonder what Gandhi would say. To us.

    

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  • Shyamala Sanyal

    Aparna Krishnan , exactly. He's more relevant today

    

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Shyamala Sanyal he could tell the viceroy to go home. Where will he tell us to go ???

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• Vinod Mall

  From Guha book?

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Vinod Mall this is a well known episode. Not sure of source

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  • Vinod Mall

    Aparna Krishnan thanks

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  • Vinod Mall

    I quote this incident when people say how could Gandhi get freedom through non violence. I quote this to explain how courageous Gandji was. Along with this, I quote his replies to notices by government when he visited Champaran and Punjab later

    

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Vinod Mall he called a space a spade. Non violence is to fight every wrong without hatred in the heart.

    

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  • Vinod Mall

    Aparna Krishnan true . More I read his role in freedom movement, more I see leadership qualities and courage in him. He was fearless

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  Aparna Krishnan

  https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/.../vignettes-from....