Why did golke ask Gandhiji to undertake country wide tour?
Answers
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Gandhinagar this week will celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India. But few people know that the man instrumental in getting Gandhi back to India permanently was his political guru Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
After the first meeting between Gokhale and Gandhi in 1896, the two spent more than a month together at the Calcutta Congress of 1901. It was here that Gokhale asked Gandhi for the first time to return from South Africa and serve the people of India. He also wrote recommendation letters for Gandhi to several lawyers in Bombay to secure a juniorship for him. But the South African problem kept Gandhi pre-occupied and he decided against the request.
In 1910, Gokhale proposed the Natal Indentured Labour Bill, which helped gain a legal framework for Gandhi’s struggle in South Africa. Gokhale also raised funds for Gandhi’s struggle. Subsequently, Gokhale went to Africa in 1912 and held meetings with African leaders. Gandhi had remarked that “if Gokhale had not played this stellar role, the South African problem would never have resolved”.
Gandhi came up to Zanzibar (now a semi-autonomous territory of Tanzania) to see off Gokhale. In this travel, Gokhale stated that Gandhi must return to India. Gokhale also advised him that since Gandhi had been away from the country for long, he must travel across India to understand the country. He also sought a promise from Gandhi that he would not utter a word on Indian issues for one year till his discovery of India was complete. Gandhi writes in his book ‘Satyagraha in South Africa’—”Every word of Gokhale glowed with his tender feeling, truthfulness and patriotism. Gokhale prepared me for India”.
On February 27, 1914, Gandhi wrote to Gokhale, “I propose to leave for India in April. I am entirely in your hands. I want to learn at your feet and gain the necessary experience. My present ambition is to be by your side as your nurse and attendant. I want to have the real discipline of obeying someone whom I love and look up to. I propose to use the funds you have sent for our passages”.
Gokhale asked Gandhi to return via London, so that he could discuss with him the freedom movement in India. Gandhi left Cape Town (South Africa) for England on July 18, 1914. But by the time Gandhi crossed the English Channel, the First World War had broken out. Gandhi was stranded in England. Gokhale was in Vichy, France, for his treatment. Gokhale and Gandhi met on September 18, 1914.
Gandhi boarded the ship ‘Arabia’ on December 19, 1914. He had started wearing dhoti and turban during his stay in England. He wrote to (Hermann) Kallenbach in January 1915, “Today, I have worn the Indian dress. The passengers looked surprised”. On January 9, 1915, Gandhi disembarked at Apollo Bunder, Bombay, at 7.30 am. Gokhale had come from Pune to welcome Gandhi back to India.
Gokhale wanted Gandhi to join the Servants of India Society. But it never happened. Gandhi decided to establish the Sabarmati Ashram, for which Gokhale gave funds. Gokhale also funded his one-year trip around India so that he could discover the country.
Gokhale died on February 19, 1915. The politics of India was to take a different turn, when the Gokhale era ended and a new leader in Gandhi emerged. Gandhi’s Himalayan achievements during the freedom struggle overshadow the role of Gokhale in his life. Maybe, it was destined that way!
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