1. SPEECH AT ALL-INDIA STUDENTS CONFERENCE, BELGAUM December 27, 1924 Mahatma Gandhi arrived at the pandal and was accorded a warm welcome. In compliance with the request of the president and the audience, the Mahatma spoke most feelingly for about 10 minutes. He exhorted the students to practise swadeshi and wear khaddar. He explained as to how the salvation of India was bound up with the spread of the spinning-wheel. He told the audience that he was not prepared to admit the plea of want of time. They could do the work provided they had the will to do it. Finally he declared that khaddar was not the symbol of hatred of anybody but that it was the symbol of love and self-dependence. The Mahatma was then garlanded amidst loud applause. The president thanked him for blessing the Conference after which the Mahatma left the pandal. The Bombay Chronicle, 2-1-1924 2. SPEECH ON CONDOLENCE RESOLUTION, BELGAUM CONGRESS December 27, 1924 It was 11.20 a.m. when the President moved the following resolution: The Congress records with sorrow the death of Mr. G. M. Bhurgari and tenders its respectful sympathy to the bereaved family. Before putting the resolution to vote the President remarked1: BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I am ashamed to have to say that there was an omission when we passed the first resolution. A friend from Sind has brought it to my notice that in the resolution mourning the loss of our departed leaders a name was left out—that of Mr. Bhurgari. I think you know it and will agree when I say that I could not have deliberately left out this name. But I am in such a pitiable state that I tend to forget things when I am engrossed in work. It was with great difficulty that I wrote down the names that I did—it was in the address I had prepared—and since I myself wrote the address I was not aware of the omission. I would have written Mr. Bhurgari’s 1 In Hindi VOL. 30 : 27 DECEMBER, 1924 - 21 MARCH 1925 1 name most respectfully. In my heart also I had the greatest respect for him. I have committed an ommission and I apologize for this to his relatives. The fact is I had a great regard for him. He was a Sindi Mussalman and he loved Hindus. When I go to Sind people there say that Mr. Bhurgari was a true son of India. Why should we not mourn his loss? I request you, brothers and sisters, to rise from your seats and stand respectfully for one minute. Let no one keep sitting; all must stand up. Now all of you should maintain silence. Do not talk. We have to finish our programme, if possible by 5 o’clock. In this I seek the help of all the delegates. Concerning the first resolution that will be moved today, no discussion is necessary and so no lengthy explanation is called for. Therefore I shall simply read it out. I also want to say that no copies have been distributed amongst you of the resolutions that will be moved today. The Reception Committee was not able to do this; there is no press in Belgaum so that all the resolutions that the Reception Committee wanted to print could be printed. The Subjects Committee can continue its sittings for two or three days and the resolutions that it drafts can be printed. But there is no resolution which makes it necessary to distribute its copies amongst you. You will forgive me as well as the Reception Committee for this, and pass the resolutions as they are read out to you.1 [From Hindi] Report of the Thirty-ninth Indian National Congress, 1924, p. 74 3. RESOLUTION ON SAROJINI NAIDU’S SERVICES, BELGAUM CONGRESS December 27, 1924 The President next moved the following resolution: The Congress places on record its appreciation of the great services rendered to the cause of the Indians overseas by Shrimati Sarojini Naidu who by her energy and devotion endeared herself to the Indian settlers and by her persuasive eloquence gained a sympathetic hearing from the Europeans there. The Congress also notes with gratitude the services rendered to the cause of the settlers of Kenya by Mr. Vaze of the Servants of India 1 The resolution was carried nem. con., all standing for a while in silence. 2 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI Society and Pandit Benarsidas Chaturvedi. The Hindi and Kanarese renderings of the above resolution were then read by Pandit Sunder Lal and Sjt. K. Mudvedkar respectively. The resolution was carried unanimously all standing except Shrimati Sarojini Devi. Report of the Thirty-ninth Indian National Congress, 1924 , p. 75 4. SPEECH ON RESOLUTION ON KOHAT AND GULBURGA RIOTS, BELGAUM CONGRESS December 27, 1924 BROTHERS AND SISTERS, You have heard many speeches concerning this resolutions1. I have received intimations that some more friends are anxious to take part in the discussion. But I have told them to excuse me I do not feel anything more needs to be known about the resolution. A friend refers to the Board mentioned in the resolution and wants to know the names of the personnel. There are two things mentioned. If the Board appointed by the Unity Conference does not do its work, it can be replaced by another Board. I forget all the names that comprise the Board of the Unity Committee; you will see them in the newspapers. I am there, Shaukat Ali is there and some other Muslim brethren. I do not want to leave it either. I think the Board that has been appointed will collect testimony in regard to the happenings at Kohat. Only when it arrives in Rawalpindi can it be known as to what it is possible to do and what it is not. Whatever can be done will of course be done. Those of you who support the resolution may duly raise their hands.2 [From Hindi] Report of the Thirty-ninth Indian National Congress, 1924, p. 94 1 The resolution moved by Motilal Nehru deplored the riots, the exodus of Hindus from Kohat and the failure of the local authority to give them protection. It also advised the people not to accept the finding of the Government of India but to suspend judgment till the Board appointed by the Unity Conference or some other representative body had enquired into the event and come to decision. The resolution expressed sympathy for the sufferers in Gulburga riots. 2 The resolution was carried. VOL. 30 : 27 DECEMBER, 1924 - 21 MARCH 1925 3 5. SPEECH ON RESOLUTION ON UNTOUCHABILITY, BELGAUM CONGRESS December 27, 1924 I call upon Mr. Bhopatkar to move the resolution on untoucha- bility . Before doing so, let me inform you that some Tamil friends have written to me asking that the resolutions might also be translated into Tamil. I am extremely sorry that I cannot possibly do that. There are 21 provinces to deal with and if we are to render each resolution into so many languages, it would really be not possible to get on. Up to now we have been adopting three languages: One is Hindi which everyone is expected to know ; the second is English; and the third is the vernacular of the province. We have not been able to reach that common medium, Hindustani, through which we can know each other, because we have always the South to obstruct the way. That is why we are using the vernacular of this province as well as English. But I would suggest for such cases that those who know English or Hindustani in the said province should take the trouble of explaining the resolutions passed here to their friends who do not know any of the languages here spoken.. 1 BROTHERS, I am sorry to say that Panditji is not here at the moment. I had been asked—and I requested him to say something. He said, he did not want to say anything. Then again I was told that he would say a few words. But at this time he is not here. Before I put this resolution to vote I must answer note that I have received. A friend asks if the resolution on removal of untoucha- bility implies inter-dining and inter-marriage with the untouchables. There is nothing in the resolution suggesting this, but if this friend wants to know what I myself feel in the matter I will say that I have expressed my views in Navajivan and Young India —namely, that we should behave with those we consider untouchable as we behave with other castes. 1 After some speakers had supported the resolution, the President called upon Madan Mohan Malaviya to speak. As he was absent, the President put the resolution to vote speaking in Hindi. 4 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI There was one hand raised against the resolution. The President declared it carried. [From Hindi] Report of the Thirty-ninth Indian National Congress, 1924, pp. 95 & 98 6. SPEECH AT CONGRESS SESSION BELGAUM1 December 27, 1924 BROTHERS, Before I move the next resolution I have an atonement to make. When the resolution on removal of untouchability was being moved, I had it in mind to present an untouchable brother before you. I had received a note saying an untouchable brother who was not a delegate wanted to say a few words. I had felt that even though he was not a delegate it would be good to permit him to speak as he was an untouchable.