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52 would have enough to eat and wear and therefore he insisted on having it on the flag. Thousands of such flags were flown all over the country.

The national party was determined that it would not rest until it had achieved complete freedom for India. No matter what the government did, it could not stop the agitation which kept gathering force day by day and soon spread throughout the length and breadth of India, right to the smallest village. It seemed as if India was on the verge of achieving her freedom. Gandhiji wrote an open letter to the Viceroy in which he gave him just seven days to announce a change of government by which India would rule herself.

Everybody now waited in suspense for the Viceroy's reply. In the meantime in a little village called Chauri Chaura a crowd of peasants set fire to the police station and burned to death thirty-three policemen. When Gandhiji heard of this, he called a halt and suspended the campaign. “If we are going to get our freedom by violence,” he said, "then it is not worth having."

Many people were dismayed by Gandhiji's decision, but he had made up his mind. He felt that since he had started it all, he was to blame for what had just happened and so he decided to go on a twenty one day fast as a form of penance.

The people of India had still not completely understood Gandhiji's message of love and peace, and even