Satyagraha on a Small Scale

Though I thus took part in the War as a matter of duty, as chance would have it, I was not only unable directly to participate in it, but was actually compelled to offer what may be called miniature Satyagraha even at that critical juncture.

Although I took part in the War out of a sense of duty, chance prevented me from participating directly. I was even forced to undertake what may be called a miniature Satyagraha at that critical moment.

I have already said that an officer was appointed in charge of our training, as soon as our names were approved and enlisted. We were all under the impression that this Commanding Officer was to be our chief only so far as technical matters were concerned, and that in all other matters I was the head of our Corps, which was directly responsible to me in matters of internal discipline; that is to say, the Commanding Officer had to deal with the Corps through me. But from the first the officer left us under no such delusion.

As I have already said, an officer was put in charge of our training as soon as our names were approved and we were enlisted. We all believed that this Commanding Officer was to be in charge only of technical matters. In all other matters, I was the head of our Corps, which was directly responsible to me for internal discipline. In other words, the Commanding Officer was to deal with the Corps through me. But from the first, the officer made it clear that we were mistaken.

Mr. Sorabji Adajania was a shrewd man. He warned me. ‘Beware of this man,’ he said. ‘He seems inclined to lord it over us. We will have none of his orders. We are prepared to look upon him as our instructor. But the youngsters he has appointed to instruct us also feel as though they had come as our masters.’

Mr. Sorabji Adajania was a shrewd man. He warned me. ‘Beware of this man,’ he said. ‘He seems inclined to boss us around. We will not take orders from him. We are prepared to regard him as our instructor. But the young people he has appointed to teach us also seem to think they are our masters.’

These youngsters were Oxford students who had come to instruct us and whom the Commanding Officer had appointed to be our section leaders.

These young Oxford students had come to teach us. The Commanding Officer had appointed them as our section leaders.

I also had not failed to notice the high-handedness of the Commanding Officer, but I asked Sorabji not to be anxious and tried to pacify him. But he was not the man to be easily convinced.

I had also noticed the Commanding Officer’s overbearing behavior, but I asked Sorabji not to worry and tried to calm him. But he was not easily convinced.

‘You are too trusting. These people will deceive you with wretched words, and when at last you see through them, you will ask us to resort to Satyagraha, and so come to grief, and bring us all to grief along with you,’ said he with a smile.

‘You are too trusting. These people will deceive you with their empty words. When you finally see through them, you will ask us to resort to Satyagraha. Then you will come to grief and bring us all to grief with you,’ he said with a smile.

‘What else but grief can you hope to come to by having cast in your lot with me?’ said I. ‘A Satyagrahi is born to be deceived. Let the Commanding Officer deceive us. Have I not told you times without number that ultimately a deceiver only deceives himself?’

‘What else but grief can you expect from joining me?’ I said. ‘A Satyagrahi is born to be deceived. Let the Commanding Officer deceive us. Haven't I told you countless times that a deceiver ultimately deceives only himself?’

Sorabji gave a loud laugh. ‘Well, then,’ said he, ‘continue to be deceived. You will some day meet your death in Satyagraha and drag poor mortals like me behind you.’

Sorabji laughed loudly. ‘Well, then,’ he said, ‘go on being deceived. One day you will die in Satyagraha and drag poor souls like me along with you.’

These words put me in mind of what the late Miss Emily Hobhouse wrote to me with regard to non-cooperation: ‘I should not be surprised if one of these days you have to go to the gallows for the sake of truth. May God show you the right path and protect you.’

These words reminded me of what the late Miss Emily Hobhouse wrote to me about non-cooperation: ‘I would not be surprised if one day you have to go to the gallows for the sake of truth. May God show you the right path and protect you.’

The talk with Sorabji took place just after the appointment of the Commanding Officer. In a very few days our relations with him reached the breaking point. I had hardly regained my strength after the fourteen days’ fast, when I began to take part in the drill, often walking to the appointed place about two miles from home. This gave me pleurisy and laid me low. In this condition I had to go week-end camping. Whilst the others stayed there, I returned home. It was here that an occasion arose for Satyagraha.

My talk with Sorabji took place just after the Commanding Officer was appointed. Within a few days, our relationship with him reached the breaking point. I had hardly regained my strength after the fourteen-day fast when I began taking part in the drills. I often walked about two miles from home to the meeting place. This gave me pleurisy and left me bedridden. Even in this condition, I had to go camping for the weekend. While the others stayed at the camp, I returned home. It was here that an opportunity for Satyagraha arose.

The Commanding Officer began to exercise his authority somewhat freely. He gave us clearly to understand that he was our head in all matters, military and non-military, giving us at the same time a taste of his authority. Sorabji hurried to me. He was not at all prepared to put up with this high-handedness. He said: ‘We must have all orders through you. We are still in the training camp and all sorts of absurd orders are being issued. Invidious distinctions are made between ourselves and those youths who have been appointed to instruct us. We must have it out with the Commanding Officer, otherwise we shall not be able to go on any longer. The Indian students and others who have joined our Corps are not going to abide by any absurd orders. In a cause which has been taken up for the sake of self-respect, it is unthinkable to put up with loss of it.’

The Commanding Officer began to use his authority rather freely. He made it clear that he was our head in all matters, both military and non-military. At the same time, he gave us a taste of his authority. Sorabji hurried to me. He was not at all willing to put up with this high-handed behavior. He said: ‘We must receive all orders through you. We are still in the training camp, and all sorts of absurd orders are being issued. Unfair distinctions are being made between us and the young men appointed to instruct us. We must confront the Commanding Officer about this. Otherwise, we will not be able to carry on any longer. The Indian students and others who have joined our Corps will not obey absurd orders. We took up this cause for the sake of self-respect. It is unthinkable to put up with losing that self-respect.’

I approached the Commanding Officer and drew his attention to the complaints I had received. He wrote asking me to set out the complaints in writing, at the same time asking me ‘to impress upon those who complain that the proper direction in which to make complaints is to me through their section commanders, now appointed, who will inform me through the instructors.’

I went to the Commanding Officer and told him about the complaints I had received. He wrote and asked me to put the complaints in writing. He also asked me ‘to impress upon those who complain that they should make their complaints to me through their newly appointed section commanders, who will inform me through the instructors.’

To this I replied saying that I claimed no authority, that in the military sense I was no more than any other private, but that I had believed that as Chairman of the Volunteer Corps, I would be allowed unofficially to act as their representative. I also set out the grievances and requests that had been brought to my notice, namely, that grievous dissatisfaction had been caused by the appointment of section leaders without reference to the feeling of the members of the Corps; that they be recalled, and the Corps be invited to elect section leaders, subject to the Commander’s approval.

I replied that I claimed no authority. In military terms, I was no more than any other private. But I had believed that, as Chairman of the Volunteer Corps, I would be allowed to act unofficially as its representative. I also presented the grievances and requests that had been brought to my attention. There was serious dissatisfaction because section leaders had been appointed without regard for the feelings of Corps members. The request was that the section leaders be removed and the Corps be invited to elect new ones, subject to the Commander’s approval.

This did not appeal to the Commanding Officer who said it was repugnant to all military discipline that the section leaders should be elected by the Corps, and that the recall of appointments already made would be subversive of all discipline.

This did not appeal to the Commanding Officer. He said that having the Corps elect section leaders went against all military discipline. He also said that reversing appointments already made would undermine all discipline.

So we held a meeting and decided upon withdrawal. I brought home to the members the serious consequences of Satyagraha. But a very large majority voted for the resolution which was to the effect, that unless the appointments of Corporals already made were recalled, and the members of the Corps given an opportunity of electing their own Corporals, the members would be obliged to abstain from further drilling and week-end camping.

So we held a meeting and decided to withdraw. I made the members understand the serious consequences of Satyagraha. But a very large majority voted for the resolution. The resolution said that the existing appointments of Corporals must be withdrawn. It also said that Corps members must be given a chance to elect their own Corporals. Unless these demands were met, the members would have to stop drilling and attending weekend camps.

I then addressed a letter to the Commanding Officer telling him what a severe disappointment to me his letter rejecting my suggestion had been. I assured him that I was not fond of any exercise of authority and that I was most anxious to serve. I also drew his attention to a precedent. I pointed out that although I occupied no official rank in the South African Indian Ambulance Corps, at the time of the Boer War, there was never a hitch between Colonel Gallwey and the Corps, and the Colonel never took a step without reference to me with a view to ascertain the wishes of the Corps. I also enclosed a copy of the resolution we had passed the previous evening.

I then wrote to the Commanding Officer, telling him how deeply disappointed I was by his rejection of my suggestion. I assured him that I did not enjoy exercising authority and was eager to serve. I also reminded him of an earlier example. Although I held no official rank in the South African Indian Ambulance Corps during the Boer War, there was never any trouble between Colonel Gallwey and the Corps. The Colonel never took a step without consulting me to find out what the Corps wanted. I also enclosed a copy of the resolution we had passed the previous evening.

This had no good effect on the Officer who felt that the meeting and the resolution were a grave breach of discipline.

This had no good effect on the officer, who thought the meeting and the resolution were a serious breach of discipline.

Hereupon I addressed a letter to the Secretary of State for India acquainting him with all the facts and enclosing a copy of the resolution. He replied explaining that conditions in South Africa were different, and drawing my attention to the fact that under the rules the section commanders were appointed by the Commanding Officer, but assuring me that in future when appointing section commanders, the Commanding Officer would consider my recommendations.

I then wrote to the Secretary of State for India, telling him all the facts and enclosing a copy of the resolution. He replied that conditions in South Africa were different. He pointed out that, under the rules, the Commanding Officer appointed the section commanders. But he assured me that the Commanding Officer would consider my recommendations when appointing section commanders in the future.

A good deal of correspondence passed between us after this, but I do not want to prolong the bitter tale. Suffice it to say that my experience was of a piece with the experiences we daily have in India. What with threats and what with adroitness the Commanding Officer succeeded in creating a division in our Corps. Some of those who had voted for the resolution yielded to the Commander’s threats or persuasions and went back on their promise.

We exchanged many letters after this, but I do not want to prolong the bitter story. It is enough to say that my experience was like the experiences we have every day in India. Through threats and clever tactics, the Commanding Officer succeeded in dividing our Corps. Some who had voted for the resolution gave in to the Commander’s threats or persuasion and broke their promise.

About this time an unexpectedly large contingent of wounded soldiers arrived at the Netley Hospital and the services of our Corps were requisitioned. Those whom the Commanding Officer could persuade went to Netley. The others refused to go. I was on my back, but was in communication with the members of the Corps. Mr. Roberts, the Under-Secretary of State, honoured me with many calls during those days. He insisted on my persuading the others to serve. He suggested that they should form a separate Corps, and that at the Netley Hospital they could be responsible only to the Commanding Officer there, so that there would be no question of loss of self-respect, Government would be placated, and at the same time helpful service would be rendered to the large number of wounded received at the hospital. This suggestion appealed both to my companions and to me, with the result that those who had stayed away also went to Netley.

Around this time, an unexpectedly large number of wounded soldiers arrived at Netley Hospital, and our Corps was called upon to serve. Those whom the Commanding Officer could persuade went to Netley. The others refused to go. I was confined to bed, but I remained in contact with the members of the Corps. Mr. Roberts, the Under-Secretary of State, honoured me with many visits during those days. He insisted that I persuade the others to serve. He suggested that they form a separate Corps. At Netley Hospital, they would answer only to the Commanding Officer there. That way, there would be no question of losing their self-respect. The Government would be satisfied, and they would also provide useful service to the many wounded soldiers at the hospital. My companions and I liked the suggestion, so those who had stayed away also went to Netley.

Only I remained away, lying on my back and making the best of a bad job.

Only I stayed away, lying on my back and making the best of a bad situation.