Page:Gandhi and Saklatvala - Is India different.pdf/19

 task of these leaders was, without waiting for the new, to obstruct the old with such efficiency as to make it absolutely impossible for the old order to continue to function. The third task was to reconstruct and arduously and slowly to build up a new life. Ireland produced a De Valera. He did No. 1 and No. 2, and his people are now bravely carrying on his task No. 3. Russia has produced Lenin. He did No. 1 and No. 2, and though his life was short, he led his people on the right path regarding No. 3. Turkey produced Kemal. He did No. 1 and No. 2, and is fortunate enough to be living and vigorous to carry on his task No. 3. China produced Sun Yat vSen. He completed No. 1 and No. 2, and after his death his well-organised and well-disciplined followers are carrying on task No. 3. In Italy, though in contrary direction, Mussolini plays the same individual part. India at that moment announced to the world her leader to be Gandhi.

You performed No. 1, but you abandoned task No. 2, and so task No. 3 is out of the question, and we are so over whelmed with the disastrous defeat at the second stage of your struggle that our lot to-day is harder than before to attain success over the conditions of the past. Instead of making the past conditions inoperative, they have become more rigorously operative in India, and now worse still, the hopes of a future struggle are being continually lessened even by the reversal of the psychological advantage that we had. Your own admission and that of your followers, as well as the facts of life, make it clear that the psychology and the enthusiasm of the early days has vanished and the readiness of the people to work for their rightful heritage is turned into hesitancy and fear.

It is from this point of view that we, who observe your mistakes and carefully study your further perseverance in them, make bold to demand from you in the name of the suffering humanity of India, as well as of other countries, that you give your services to humanity in consultation and co-operation with others so as to retrieve the lost position. Pray do not misunderstand me as "attacking" you or wishing for your disappearance from public life. The purpose of this letter is to show you the faults and defects of your policy and your acts, and therefore this letter contains only your defects, but it by no means argues that you do not possess qualities that are estimable and that can be yet of great value. These qualities require no enumeration.

The great psychological wave having once died away, the perseverance of yourself and your immediate disciples