GANDHI MAY LEAVE INDIAN POLITICS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 309, 20 July 1933, Page 5

GANDHI MAY LEAVE INDIAN POLITICS

SUDDEN RETIREMENT TO "HAVEN OF REFUGE" RECOGNITION OF WANING POPULARITY Press AscoeiatioQ. —Copyright. Reed. Todal, 10.35 a.m. Calcutta, July 19. GANDHI may scon be lost to Indian politics Today he astonished India by suddenly going into his Ashran ''Haven of Refuge" at Anmedabad, thus breaking the vow made two years ago that he would not return to Ashran until "India had gained her freedom." His action is taken to mean that he decided to give up politics and devote the rest of his life to meditation and prayer. Therei is no doubt Gandhi realises that the bulk of the country is against him in his decision that civil disobedience shall continue. The leaders and newspapers throughout the country declare that there is no excuse for civil disobedience, and Gandhi is seeing his influence waning. He thus probably decided to make a strategic retreat before the whole edifice of his popularity crumbles.

VICEROY CRITICISED Refusal to (W Interview GANDHI TALKS TO PRESS Press Association.—Copyright. Rubgy, July 18. Mr. Gandhi in an interview with the Press at Bombay criticised {he Viceroy's refusal of an interview. Questioned as to the attitude the All-India Congress would assume, ho said its acting-presi-dent, Mr. Aney, would issue a statement advising for the time being the suspension of mass civil disobedience and of Congress organisations and the secret methods whereby they functioned, but permitting individual disobedience from August 1. Mr. Gandhi added that it was proposed to appoint an All-India dictator, with dictators in each province. He would not himself assume the role of the AllIndia dictator. He would not commit any act of civil disobedience without previously warning the Government, and certainly not before July 31.