ON A STRETCHER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 15, 19 January 1933, Page 23

ON A STRETCHER.

GANDHI'S LATEST. NEW PAST FOR FRIEND. Mr. Gandhi lost vitality and weight so rapidly in the first 24 hours of a new death fast which he began in December that the next day he had to be carried about the precincts of Ycravda Gaol on a Btretcher. He had lost 61b, and though he suspended his hunger strike by drinking a glass of orange juice, he threatened to resume it again. The Mahatma's new fast was a protest against the treatment of a close associate, Professor Patwardhan, who is imprisoned in Batnagiri District Gaol. The professor, who is a Brahmin —a member of the highest cast of Hindus— was put on to scavenging when he first entered gaol. A few weeks later he was taken from the work, and his petition to the Government to be put back at it hae been persistently refused. The Government stated that professional scavengers, only were to tbe employed in the gaol, and Professor Patwardhan han ibeen on hunger-strike against the decision since November 17. °When Mr. Gandhi accidentally heard of his friend's slow death he entered a strong plea with the Government for his claim. He said the removal of the wrong notion that scavenging was a degrading calling was. vital to the anti-Untouch-abilitv campaign. The fact that outcasts did scavenging was one of the reasons most often cited by orthodox caste Hindus for continuing Untouchability. The Bombay Government replied thai it had no objection to Mr. Gandhi scavenging himself, but he should nol interfere in the Patwardlian affair. Gandhi retorted that the Government's refusal amounted to obstruction of the progress of anti-Untoucliability. Mr. Doyle, Inspector-General oi Prisons, later saw the Mahatma alone foi an hour and 40 minutes. At the end of it he said he would d< his best to have Professor Patwardhan's request granted, but would need three days to make arrangements, and on this understanding Mr. Gandhi temporarily suspended his fast.