Letter of Mahatma Gandhi to Lord Irvin (must read)

[perfectionist1]

Friends,

Mahatma Gandhi, our father of nation and starter of doctrine of Ahimsa (non violence) in the world, has written the below letter to Lord Irvin:-


Gandhi’s letter to Lord Irwin
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Before embarking on civil disobedience and taking the risk I have dreaded to take all these years, I would fain approach you and find a way out. . . . Whilst , therefore, I hold the British rule to be a curse, I do not intend harm to a single Englishman or to any legitimate interest he may have in India. . . . And why do I regard the British rule as a curse?


It has impoverished the dumb millions by a system of progressive exploitation and by a ruinously expensive military and civil administration which the country can never afford.
It has reduced us politically to serfdom. It has sapped the foundation of our culture. And, by the policy of cruel disarmament, it has degraded us spiritually.

The British system seems to be designed to crush the very life out of the Indian farmer. Even the salt he must use to live on is so taxed as to make the burden fall heaviest on him. The drink and drug revenue, too, is derived from the poor. If the weight of taxation has crushed the poor from above, the destruction of the central supplementary industry, i.e., hand-spinning, has undermined their capacity for producing wealth. .

If you cannot see your way to deal with these evils and my letter makes no appeal to your heart, I shall proceed with such co-workers of the Ashram as I can take, to disregard the provisions of the salt laws.

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Bapu, I was thinking, nothing have change even after Britishers have gone, but still our own people follow the same draconian laws.


Long Live...RKBA.

May Bapu bless the movement.



Cheers.....

[Hammerhead]

It has impoverished the dumb millions by a system of progressive exploitation and by a ruinously expensive military and civil administration which the country can never afford.

I don't know I'm allowed to comment but that system never dies and we gladly accepted it as our fate - Haji

[Vikram]

If you could post a link to the source,that would be great. Thank you.


Best-
Vikram

[Bill Poole]

i found more text of the same letter here
http://www.kellimcbride.com/gandhi.htm