A Tale of Two Fasts

There are many comparisons being made about Anna Hazare’ fast and Gandhiji’s fast.   I don’t intend giving a sermon, but just want to share my understanding of the circumstances that led to Gandhiji’s fast unto death on different occasions.

Gandiji has undertook fasting many times as a religious exercise or moral exercise, but only thrice it has been ‘Fast unto Death’ for achieving a ‘socio-political objective’.

These occasions were :-


1.    To stop all revolutionary activities after the Chauri Chaura Incident of 1922;


2.    Against the 1934 communal award giving separate electorates to Untouchable Hindus.


3.    In 1947, when he wanted to stop the bloodshed between Hindus and Muslims in Bengal and Delhi.


 In all three cases,Gandhi succeeded in achieving his aims.

The first time, he fasted to stop the jaggarnaut of Indian Freedom movement, when he felt the movement had strayed away from his principle of non-violence. In other words he fasted till violence stopped even if it meant the freedom movement losing its momentum. The fast was against violence.

The second time was when he felt that the British were resorting to ‘dividing ‘ India into Harijan India, Hindu India and Muslim India. The British left it to the Indian leaders to mutually resolve the issue and come to an understanding. So the fast was not against the British, not against Upper caste Hindus, not against Harijans /Dalits. What was it against?  It was against polarization based on castes. 

The third time , it was in Kolkata, in an independent India when the entire population was facing terrible hardships due to  Hindu -Muslim  riots. The fast was obviously against all forms of violence.

It is the 1932 fast, also called as the epic fast, that is much criticized for Gandhi's 'pressure tactics' against 'Dr Ambedkar'

  If the pressure was on Dr Ambedkar to give up his demand for a separate electorate, the pressure was on the entire Hindu community to be more inclusive, to breakaway from the practices , in vogue for centuries. Let us see the positive fall out of the fast towards social change.

At the very beginning of the fast week, the famous Kalighat temple of Kolkata and Ram Mandir of Benares, citadel of Hindu Orthodoxy, were thrown open to untouchables. In Delhi, cast Hindus and Harijans demonstratively fraternized in streets and temples. In Mumbai, a nationalist women's organization organized a poll in front of seven big temples. Ballot boxes, watched by volunteers, were placed outside the gates, and worshipers were asked to cast their votes on the admission of untouchables. The tally was 24, 797 for and 445 against. As a result, temples in which no Harijan foot had ever trod were opened to all.

In villages, small towns and big cities, congregations , organizations and citzens unions adopted resolutions to stop discriminating against untouchables; copies of these resolutions formed a man high heap in Gandhi's prison-yard.

A spirit of reform, penance and self-purification swept the land.During the six fast days, most Hindus refrained from going to cinemas, theatre, or restaurants. Weddings were postponed.

A description of the scene in Yeravada Prison, in the words of Louis Fischer goes like this;

"Gandhi lay on a white Iron cot in the shade of a low mango tree in the quiet prison yard. Patel and Mahadev Desai sat near him. Mrs Naidu had been transferred from the women's ward to nurse and guard him against excessive exertion. On a stool were some books, writing paper, bottles of water, salt and sodium bicarbonate.

Outside, the negotiators were racing with death........"


The major differences between then and now;

1.    Then, there was no Us and Them.....everyone was with Gandhi. Nobody vilified anybody, nor anyone gloated over the discomfort of another. Dr Ambedkar  and the Hindu leaders bargained hard and the public did everything to prove that there was  an earnest effort to abolish untouchability; and all were aware that they had to find a lasting solution to a national problem  or be prepared to lose Mahatma Gandhi for ever.  There was no sabre rattling from any quarters, you did not see anyone, bragging of his capacity to fast, or boasting about brownie  points scored.

2.       Every one of Gandhiji's  supporters at any point of time would have been only too happy to see him breaking his fast. There was no crowd to applaud with every 'hour' on the score board as if it was a T-20 match.

3.      It was an occasion for the entire public for self-purification . There was no  festive air that we see today.  

Tail-piece 
There was a news item today that there is heavy betting by bookies on how many days the fast would last and as to what would be the outcome.