Asked by the _Times_ representative as to his impressions formed as a
result of his activities during the last three months, Mr. Gandhi
said:--"My own impression of these three months' extensive experience is
that this movement of non-co-operation has come to stay, and it is most
decidedly a purifying movement, in spite of isolated instances of
rowdyism, as for instance at Mrs. Besant's meeting in Bombay, at some
places in Delhi, Bengal, and even in Gujarat. The people are
assimilating day after day the spirit of non-violence, not necessarily
as a creed, but as an inevitable policy. I expect most startling
results, more startling than, say, the discoveries of Sir J.C. Bose, or
the acceptance by the people of non-violence. If the Government could be
assured beyond any possibility of doubt that no violence would ever be
offered by us the Government would from that moment alter its character,
unconsciously and involuntarily, but nonetheless surely on that
account."
"Alter its character,--in what, direction?" asked the _Times_
representative.
"Certainly in the direction which we ask it should move--that being in
the direction of Government becoming responsive to every call of
the nation."
"Will you kindly explain further?" asked the representative.
"By that I mean," said Mr. Gandhi, "people will be able by asserting
themselves through fixed determination and self-sacrifice to gain the
redress of the Khilafat wrong, the Punjab wrong, and attain the Swaraj
of their choice."
"But what is your Swaraj, and where does the Government come in
there--the Government which, you say will alter its character
unconsciously?"
"My Swaraj," said Mr. Gandhi, "is the Parliamentary Government of India
in the modern sense of the term for the time being, and that Government
would be secured to us either through the friendly offices of the
British people or without them."
"What do you mean by the phrase, 'without them!'" questioned the
interviewer.
"This movement," continued Mr. Gandhi, "is an endeavour to purge the
present Government of selfishness and greed which determine almost every
one of their activities. Suppose that we have made it impossible by
disassociation from them to feed their greed. They might not wish to
remain in India, as happened in the case of Somaliland, where the moment
its administration ceased to be a paying proposition they evacuated it."
"How do you think," queried the representative, "in practice this will
work out?"
"What I have sketched before you," said Mr. Gandhi, "is the final
possibility. What I expect is that nothing of that kind will happen. In
so far as I understand the British people I will recognise the force of
public opinion when it has become real and patent. Then, and only then,
will they realise the hideous injustice which in their name the Imperial
ministers and their representatives in India have perpetrated. They will
therefore remedy the two wrongs in accordance with the wishes of the
people, and they will also offer a constitution exactly in accordance
with the wishes of the people of India, as represented by their
chosen leaders.
"Supposing that the British Government wish to retire because India is
not a paying concern, what do you think will then be the position
of India?"
Mr. Gandhi answered: "At that stage surely it is easy to understand that
India will then have evolved either outstanding spiritual height or the
ability to offer violence, against violence. She will have evolved an
organising ability of a high order, and will therefore be in every way
able to cope with any emergency that might arise." "In other words,"
observed the _Times_ representative, "you expect the moment of the
British evacuation, if such a contingency arises, will coincide with the
moment of India's preparedness and ability and conditions favourable for
India to take over the Indian administration as a going concern and work
it for the benefit and advancement of the Nation?"
Mr. Gandhi answered the question with an emphatic affirmative. "My
experience during the last months fills me with the hope," continued Mr.
Gandhi, "that within the nine months that remain of the year in which I
have expected Swaraj for India we shall redress the two wrongs and we
shall see Swaraj established in accordance with the wishes of the people
of India."
"Where will the present Government be at the end of the nine months?"
Asked the _Times_ representative.
Mr. Gandhi, with a significant smile, said: "The lion will then lie with
the lamb."
_Young India, December, 1920._