Speech at Public Meeting, Chicacole

December 3, 1928
MAHATMA GANDHI








You seem to be dividing all the good things with poor Utkal(Orissa). I flattered myself with the assumption that my arrival here is one of the good things, for I was going to devote all the twenty days to seeing the skeletons of Orissa; but as you, the Andhras, are the gatekeepers of Orissa on this side, you have intercepted my march. But I am glad you have anticipated me also. After entering Andhra Desh, I have been doing my business with you and I know God will reward all those unknown people who have been co-operating with me who am a selfappointed representative of Daridranarayana. And here, too, you have been doing the same thing. Last night, several sister came and presented me with a purse. But let me tell you this is not after all my tour in Andhra. I am not going to let you alone so easily as this, nor will Deshabhakta Konda Venkatappayya let me alone, because I have toured in some parts of Ganjam. I am under promise to tour Andhra during the early part of next year, and let me hope what you are doing is only a foretaste of what you are going to do next year.
You have faith in true non-co-operation. There is the great drink evil, eating into the vitals of the labouring population. I would like you to non-co-operate with that evil without a single thought and I make a sporting proposal, viz., that those who give up drink habit should divide their savings with me on behalf of Daridranarayan. Then I see that many of you are making chimneys of your mouths by the vicious smoke habit. You, who smoke, do not know what a filthy habit it is. I saw that many of the people, when I made the appeal, threw away their cigars and cigarettes. The elderly people by indulging in this vicious habit do not know what a legacy they are leaving to their children. You know, as I know, that many children steal money in order to satisfy their curiosity to somke. I ask you therefore to non-co-operate with the smoke habit, and again divide you savings with me.
So also must Hindus non-co-operate with the devil of untouchability. I give you my assurance that devil is keeping us from God, and it is a barrier created for our own destruction.
Mahatmaji then proceeded to answer some questions handed to him by someone in the audience. The first question was: “What are the means now to be adopted by young men for the uplift of the Mother country?” Mahatmaji said:
There are many things that I can suggest, but there is one thing which is the easiest for them to do and that is khadi work. They can set apart a certain sum every month or every year to be devoted for khadi work. If they have the time, they can devote it to organizing khadi work in their own district. If they cannot do so or if they have given what is best in them. If they cannot do so or if they have not confidence enough to be able to do organizing work, they can give half an hour a day to spinning and their yarn to the All-India Spinners’ Association and become a member.
The second question dealt with the educational and other qualifications required for a public worker. Mahatmaji said:
So far as educational qualifications are concerned, besides knowing the provincial vernacular, they must know also the Rashtrabhasha1—Hindi. But the other qualifications are even far more important. They must be strictly honest and their private character must be pure. Men whose eyes are not straight and whose heart is full of animal passion are not fit for doing political work. And in my opinion, unless he believes in truth and non-violence at any cost, he has no business to be a politician.
Answering the third question, Mahatmaji said :
Whilst all our leaders are conceiving and cooking all kinds of schemes, we, the rank and file, cannot do better than achieving the message of khadi to its fullest extent. It is not a small thing for you and me to take part in an effort to save sixty crores of rupees. You and I cannot pack the Councils, Assembly and Municipalities. Even if we would, we could not have all the qualifications. But every one of us is born with the qualification for khadi. It requires not much training except the training of the heart. By doing khadi work you will find that the power is descending upon you.
(Source: Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, www.gandhiserve.org)