Gandhi Before Gandhi

SR No.: 007501
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah
Publisher: Jain Academy Educational Research Center Promotion Trust Mumbai
Publication Year: 2009
Total Pages: 198
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & History
File Size: 34 MB

Page 32

GANDHI BEFORE GANDHI
and laborers and always found amongst them cheerful and unwearied industry, good humored compliance with the will of their superiors and a readiness to make whatever exertions that were demanded from them. There was amongst them, no drunkenness, no disorderly conduct, and no insubordination. This was before the rivalry entered for the premium on large reports of the success of Christian Missions in India, by various missionary groups.
The British Government of India has systematized the vice of drinking
not one liquor shop in Lucknow; now, under the rule of Christian Government, there are more than a hundred. The same was the case in Upper Burmah under the reign of Theeoau. Now a large revenue is gathered from the liquor tariff. In one year only (1890-91), the English Government derived Rupees 4,947,780 from the liquor tariff revenue which is three or four times larger than that derived either from Customs or Assessed Taxes or Forest or Registration or Post Office and seven times as large as from Telegraphs, eight times as large as from Law and Justice. The income is increasing every year by $ 500,000. Fifteen years ago, it was calculated that not above 10 per cent of the people of India drank spirits, but now they are said to be over 20 per cent. To our rulers, then who are our political Christian Missionaries, the money howsoever obtained is the highest Gospel and certainly Christianity is responsible for all this because the first representatives of Christianity sanctioned the use of wine under the pretext of a religious ceremony. Why is this? In fact, it is an inseparable tradition of Christianity as it is viewed by the low class people who are converted to Christianity.
What is the State of the low class people now in India under the benign influence of Christian Missions? The vice of drunkenness has become common to them. The Christian Government of India has systemized the vice of drinking and turned it into profit whereas no native ruler had ever raised revenues by liquor. Under the reign of the King of Oudh, there was
This is one of the vices which Christian civilization is forcing on us, and you will be startled when I tell you that even the missionaries have administered intoxicants in many instances to the world so that the conversion might become more easy and sure and thereby a larger report of conversion are sent out. It is a fact that perversion precedes conversion or enlistment and registration.
I make this statement not upon my own authority but upon the authority of your own countrymen of high commercial standing who have mixed for years with missionaries in India for years, and have been eye witnesses