ON A STRETCHER

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 31, 28 January 1933, Page 8

ON A STRETCHER

GANDHI’S LATEST NEW FAST 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 about the precincts of Yeravda Gaol that tin* next day he had to be carried on a stretcher. He had lost Gib. and though he suspended his hunger by drinking a glass of orange iub-e. he threatened to resume it again. The Mahatma's new fast was a protest against the treatment of a close associate, Profes-or Patwardhan. who is imprisoned in Ratnagiri District Gaol. The professor, wao i- a Brahmin —a member of the highest caste of Hindoos —was put on to scavenging when ho first entered gaol. A few ■weeks later he was taken from the work, and his petition to the Government to be put back nt >„ has boon ; crsiste'itly refused. The Government stated that profes-

sional scavengers only wore to be employed in the gaol, and Professor Patwardhan been On hunger-strike against the decision since November 17. When Air Gandhi accidentally heard of his friend’s slow death ho entered -■ strong plea with the Government for hi; claim. He said the removal of the wrong notion that scavenging was a degrading calling "'vas vital to the anti-I’ntouch-ablo campaign. The fact that outcasts did scavenging was one of the reasons most, often cited bv orthodox caste Hindus for continuin g IT n tou ch ability. The Bombay Government replied that it had no objection to Air Gandhi scavenging himself but he should not interfere in the Patwardhan affair. Gandhi retorted that the Government’s refusal amounted to obstruction of the progress of anti-Untouchahility. Air Doyle, Inspector-General of Prisons, later saw the ATahatma alone for an hour and 40 minutes. At the end of it he said he would do his best to have Professor Patwardhan’s request granted, but would need three days to make arrangements, and on this understanding' Air Gandhi temporarily suspended his fast.