Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/835

 LETTER TO MOULANA ABDUL BARI.

��[The following letter was written by Mr. Gandhi from the Ahmedabad jail soon after his arrest.]

Dear Maulana Sahib,

Just now I am enjoying myself in my house of freedom. Hakim ji and other friends are here. I feel your absence, but that does not much worry me since we had ample discussion at Ajmer. I know that you will certainly, steadily stick to those principles that formed the subject of our talk. I will earnestly request you to avoid making any speeches in the public. Personally after deep thought I have come to the conclusion that if there is anything that can serve an effective and visible symbol of the Hindu-Muslim unity, it is the adoption of charka and pure khaddar dress prepared from hand-spun yarn by the rank and file of both the communities, Only universal acceptance of this cult can supply us with a common idea and afford a common basis of action.

The use of khaddar cannot become universal until both the communities take to it. The universal adop- tion of charka and khaddar therefore would awaken India. It will also be a proof of our capacity to satisfy all our needs. Ever since the commencement of our present struggle we have been feeling the necessity of boycotting foreign cloth. I venture to suggest that when khaddar conies universally in use, the boycott of foreign cloth will automatically follow. Speaking for myself, charka and khaddar have a special religious significance to me because they

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