The Story of My Experiments with Truth · Chapter
Passion for Unity explained
Gandhi describes his participation in the Viceroy's war conference in Delhi during the Kheda campaign and World War I.
What happens
Gandhi describes his participation in the Viceroy's war conference in Delhi during the Kheda campaign and World War I. He explains his initial hesitation due to the exclusion of the Ali brothers and his growing commitment to Hindu-Muslim unity, shaped by his South African experiences. He also recounts his discussions with Dinabandhu Andrews about secret treaties and his eventual decision to attend the conference after a persuasive argument from Lord Chelmsford.
Themes in this chapter
Religion and Interfaith Dialogue
Gandhi actively seeks friendship with Muslims and works to understand their perspective on the Khilafat, viewing Hindu-Muslim unity as a crucial test of his ahimsa.
Nonviolence and Satyagraha
Gandhi reflects on his South African experiences and sees the Hindu-Muslim unity question as the severest test of his ahimsa, emphasizing moral consistency in political action.
Social Justice and Anti-Colonialism
Gandhi advocates for the release of the Ali brothers and a just settlement of the Khilafat question, challenging British colonial policies and supporting Muslim demands.
Characters to notice
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Attends the Viceroy's war conference in Delhi, driven by a passion for Hindu-Muslim unity and a desire to support the Ali brothers' release and the Khilafat cause.
- C. F. Andrews
Raises moral concerns about secret treaties between England and Italy, influencing Gandhi's hesitation to participate in the war conference.
- Principal Sushil Rudra
Praised by Andrews and mentioned as a source of information about Hakim Saheb's virtues.
- Hakim Ajmal Khan
Gandhi had not yet come in close touch with him but heard much in his praise from Principal Rudra and Andrews.
- Maulana Hasrat Mohani
Not directly mentioned in this chapter, but the Ali brothers (Maulana Mahomed Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali) are central; Hasrat Mohani is not referenced.
Key passages
“I had realized early enough in South Africa that there was no genuine friendship between the Hindus and the Mussalmans. I never missed a single opportunity to remove obstacles in the way of unity.”
Gandhi recognized from his time in South Africa that Hindu-Muslim relations were strained, and he consistently worked to bridge that divide.
Highlights Gandhi's long-standing commitment to interfaith unity.
“It was not in my nature to placate anyone by adulation, or at the cost of self-respect. But my South African experiences had convinced me that it would be on the question of Hindu–Muslim unity that my ahimsa would be put to its severest test.”
Gandhi would not flatter others or compromise his dignity, yet he believed that achieving Hindu-Muslim unity was the ultimate challenge for his principle of nonviolence.
Connects personal integrity with the broader goal of communal harmony.
“Dinabandhu Andrews raised a question about the morality of my participation in the war conference. He told me of the controversy in the British press regarding secret treaties between England and Italy.”
Andrews questioned whether Gandhi could morally attend the conference given reports of secret treaties between Britain and Italy.
Illustrates the ethical dilemmas Gandhi faced in supporting the British war effort.