GANDHI BEGINS FAST.

Western Star, 7 March 1939, Page 3

GANDHI BEGINS FAST.

.'■ MAHATMA CHEERFUL BUT WEAK

INTERVENTION «0 END ORDEAL SOUGHT.

RAJKOT, March 4. After the first day of his fast tht Mahatma Gandhi was. cheerful thoug: weak. A specialist after an examine tion said he should be most careful no > to receive visitors and to conduct v.. . correspondence. ■ A message from Bombay says. tint the Congress Ministers, hoping to em Mr Gandhi's fast" sent a telegram urg, ing the Viceroy (the Marquess of Linlithgow) to intervene. Meanwhile, Mr Gandhi is resting \v the open ah; his vitality is at iis low . tst ebb. After prayers yesterday Mr Gandl.: began his fast in the presence of jou--nalists and a, large assembly of men. women v and children Ninety m nuk later ho received a letter declining thi demands he had made and remarked "This adds fuel to the fire." The pecplo of Rajkot aie holding i. one-day strike in sympathy. Mr Gandhi had threatened that unless lie received a satisfactory reply *<• his 24 hour ultimatum demanding con stitutional reforms for Rajkot State he would heg'n »» indefinite fast at 6.3 C a.m. (Greenwich mean time). He demanded that the people should be give. a. voice i" the administration.