________________
their war effort. Letters from Maulana Mahmood Ali from jails to support Khilafat movement posed the biggest challenge to his concept of Ahimsa as he had to develop Hindu-Muslim fraternity and to win involvement of Muslims in Satyagraha. Similarly in Delhi, Hindu leaders were raising doubts about sincerity of British to solve their problems. Still Gandhi accepted British request, after they promised for Home rule. He started the campaign to recruit and convince people about the unique opportunity for them to learn use of weapons legally by participating in the war. He actively participated in convincing people to support until he got sick due to prolonged diet of groundnut butter and lemon and was near death. Ambalal Sheth took the sick Gandhi to his villa in Matheran where Gandhi recuperated. There he read in the newspapers about Rowlatt committee. He felt that no self respecting person could submit to it. British government used excessive violence against Indians to implement Rowlatt Bills.
Use of violence by the British to suppress Satyagraha In February 1919 Gandhi organized a revolt against the Rowlatt Committee recommendation by becoming president of the Satyagraha Sabha. A general strike was planned for March 30, 1919, but was postponed to April 6 after police fired on a crowd in Delhi killing eight people. Gandhi called for self-purification by prayer and fasting. He was not allowed to enter Punjab and was sent to Bombay where the crowd was angry over his arrest. The crowd was charged upon by mounted police who trampled over several agitators in Bombay. Additional disturbances in Ahmadabad resulted in violence between protestors and police. On April 14, Gandhi denounced such violence and expressed his disinterest in getting released from prison. Admitting Himalayan miscalculation, he suspended the campaign and went on a penitential fast for three days. Gandhi emphasized the constructive program.
Gandhi & Jainism Pg. 79
