Evening star., 1932-09-14
Gandhi as MARTYR.

Mahatna Gandhi, frcm Jail in Poona,
has notified the British government
that If 1t insists upon effecting its
scheme for communal electoral reforms
In India, he will hunger-strike himself
to death as a protest. The purpose OF
his proposed self-starvation, which is to
begin on September 20, Is to martyrize
himself for the cause Of Indian 1nde-
pendence and by dying for it, if die he
does, arouse his people to state OF
fanatical fury that will end in violent
revolt against British rule. 1t is a
fanciful and fantastic program, and re-
veals the Mahatma running true 10
form as one of the master political
shownien of his time.
Gandhi's fast is to register hostility
to the plan to grant separate legisla-
tive representative for twenty years to
midas "untouchahles," or depressed
classes. The scheme, the Mahatma
contends, would disrupt Hinduism and
pefpetuate the degradation of the "un-
touchables" forever. Even If the Brit
ish release him from prison in order
to save themselves embarrassment
Gandhi's death by starvation be-
hind jail walls-he says it will make
no difference, and his fasting will set
in on scheduled time. AS lighter
touch In this Indian tragi-comedy.
Poona dispatches report that dentist
Is now fitting the Mahatma with new
set of false teeth. He would hardly
need these for his projected abstention
from food of any kind. save water,
with or without salt, and soda"
The specific issue for which Mr..
Gandhi Graves the martyrs crown
caused bitter complications at last
years London round table conferences.
Since then 1T has become a growing
source of friction in India. There are
about forty million of "untouchable"
outcasts, all Hindus and all looked upon
by Hindu high-caSte cO-religionlstS az
polluted and unclean. The Mahatna,
himself q Hindu, has always claimed
kinship with the "untouchables" and
professed to be ashamed of the way
they have been treated by their own
blood brothers.
It Is an ironic comment on the in
calculahilities of Indisn politics that
the "untoucha bles"- themselves take
drastically different view Of their civic
requirements from that adopted by Mr..
Gandhi. Their leader, the American
educated DR.. B. NJ Ambedkar, stigma
ties the Mahatma's starvation threat
as "a stunt" and recourse that isn'>
q moral fight, but only political
move" At London in 1881 DR.. Ambed-
kar insisted that the 'untouchableS'
must have separate celebrates, as
Britain proposes to give them, SO as
not to be otitvoted by the caste Hindus
and thus denied seats in the federal
and provincial legislatures.
For the moment Great Britain sits
tight In the face Of Gandhi's palpable
readiness to fan into devastating flames
the smoldering embers of Indian revo-
luton and unrest. Even British SYM
pathizers, represented by Liberal organs
like the Manchester Guardian, are be-
wildered by the Mahatma's new tactics.
They urge on him to remember that he
can best serve the causes to which he is
devoted by living to work for them and
appeal to him mot to sacrifice his life
on grounds that to any one else must
appear inadequate"
Stunt" or no stunt" the Mahatnas
bid for martyrdom conjures up eonse-
quences which the British cannot afford
to ignore. Should he carry his decision
through to the end. those consequences,
with India in her present mood, might
easily become serious in the extreme,
Meantime, compromise, John Bulls
ever potent recourse in times of empire
stress, Is sure to be invoked to the ut
termost limit 1t has saved even graver
situations.