Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/905

 suffering is a prayer of the heart. That alone counts with God. To my Mussulman friends I would say but one word. They must not be irritated by the acts of irresponsible or ignorant but fanatical Hindus. He who exercises restraint under provocation wins the battle. Let them know and feel sure that responsible Hindus are not on their side in their trial in any bargaining spirit. They are helping because they know that the Khilafat is a just cause, and that to help them in a good cause is to serve India, for they are even as blood-brothers, born of the same mother—Bharata Mata.

UNTOUCHABILITY

[''Mr. Gandhi presided at the Suppressed Glasses Conference held at Ahmedabad on the 13th and 14th May, 1921. In the course of his speech on the occasion, he narrated a fragment of his personal history. He said:—'']

I regard untouchability as the greatest blot on Hinduism. This idea was not brought home to me by my bitter experiences during the South African struggle. It is not due to the fact that I was once an agnostic. It is equally wrong to think, as some people do, that I have taken my views from my study of Christian religious literature. These views date as far back as the time when I was neither enamoured of, nor was aquainted with the Bible or the followers of the Bible.

I was hardly yet twelve when this idea had dawned on me. A scavenger named Uka, an untouchable, used to attend our house for cleaning latrines. Often I would ask my mother why it was wrong to touch him, why I was forbidden to touch him. If I accidenbly