Writings and Speeches of-Mahatma Gandhi Relating To Bihar, 1917-1947

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About three years back Dr. K.K. Datta, Principal, Patna College, produced a monumental work on the history of Freedom Movement in Bihar in three volumes. In this volume he has carefully edited the writings and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi relating to Bihar from 1917 to 1947, by collecting these with considerable industry from different sources. As the author has rightly pointed out, both these years are 'highly significant' in the history of the Indian national movement, in the different phases of which Bihar's role has been heroic and inspiring. In the year 1917, Mahatma Gandhi undertook a mission into Champaran in response to the requests of its people, who were groaning under the united pressure of oppression and misery due to the tyranny of the indigo planters. By noble dedication to the cause of truth and justice, Mahatma Gandhi not only relieved the poor ryots of various iniquitous burdens but also gave a new turn to the course of Indian nationalism. He started in Champaran new experiments of real social service and rural education, for the amelioration of the downtrodden and afflicted people. Champaran, in fact, proved to be the nursery of India's new nationalism. In the year 1947 India attained the brilliant consummation of her national goal under the leadership of this great prophet of the modern world. Bihar, by virtue of her selfless services and numerous sacrifices for the cause of nationalism, endeared herself to Mahatmaji, who claimed this historic land as 'my beloved Bihar' and visited it on several occasions giving thereby added impetus to its peoples' zeal and determination in their undaunted fight for the country's freedom.

The writings and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi concerning Bihar, during the different periods of national struggle, are priceless legacies for the citizens of free India, and for humanity at large. They form a marvellous source of knowledge and inspiration. By their collection and editing with a critical Introduction, Dr. Datta has rendered a valuable service to the State of Bihar, for which he deserves our sincere congratulations.

This volume contains the writings and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi relating to Bihar in the period extending from 1917. Both the year are significant landmarks in the history of modern India. The year 1917 saw the birth in the history of modern India. The year 1917 saw the birth of some new forces of nationalism on the soil of Bihar which, in spite of Himalayan handicaps, continued to make headway under the spiritual leadership of Mahatma Gandhi through various trials, tribulations and tears of the teeming millions, till the country attained independence in 1947. The message of Mahatma Gandhi has a great meaning for all generations of humanity. His ideals should serve as the truest beacon light for the onward march of the world on right lines. In this humble work of mine, I have tried to put together his inspiring writings and speeches about Bihar in these eventful years.

I am profoundly indebted to Dr. S.K. Sinha, Chief Minister of Bihar, and to his Government, for their very great kindness in affording me considerable encouragement and all possible facilities in the matter of collecting the materials for this work and for its publication. With his unbounded affection and generosity for those who devote themselves to the cause of learning, Dr. S.K. Sinha has further laid me under a deep debt of gratitude by writing a Foreword to the volume. My thanks are due to the authorities of the Navajivan Trust, Ahmadabad, for their kind permission to reproduce the writings of Mahatma Gandhi in this work. I must also thank Shri Kumud Ranjan Chatterjee of Patna for supplying me with copies of some rare and old photographs, which have appeared here as illustrations, and my old pupils, Shri Surendra Gopal, M.A., Lecturer in History, Patna College, Sri Ramchandra Jha, M.A., Lecturer in History, B.N. College, and Shri Somanath Roy, M.A., for the assistance they rendered to me in correcting the proofs and preparing the Index.

Bihar, the classic land of Indian civilisation, where human genius has unfolded itself in manifold petals age after age, played a heroic and highly significant role in the successive phases of our national struggle till the attainment of freedom. There was a strong undercurrent of discontent in Bihar against the growing British political supremacy even before 1857, which found expression in such events as the Cole rising of 1831 and the Santal Insurrection of 1855- 57. Under the leadership of Babu Kunwar Singh, whom the handicap of advanced age or other trouble could not cow down in the least, Bihar threw a gigantic challenge to the British power during the Movement of 1857-59, which assumed here, as a contemporary British officer rightly observed, "the dignity of a national revolt". Bihar was again one of the important centres of the Wahabi Movement, which had as its political object the elimination of foreign rule. The Birsa Movements in Chotanagpur, during the closing years of the 19th century, were directed against the British political authority.

During the earliest period in the history of the Indian National Congress, there "used to be a good deal of enthusiasm in Bihar about it and large number of delegates used to attend the meetings of the body." After a comparative lack of interest for a few years, the zealous efforts of some enlightened leaders of the Province, who had in these days their faith in the liberal creed of the Congress, resulted in an improvement in the situation. In 1908, a Bihar Provincial Congress Committee was formed with its headquarters at Patna and branches in the districts. The Provincial Congress Committee organised a Provincial Political Conference, which had as its delegates Congressmen of the Province as well as others, who, without formally joining the Congress, were in agreement with the former on general matters of provincial interest. The first session of the Bihar Provincial Conference met at Patna early in 1908 under the Presidentship of Sir Ali Imam. Shri Mazharul Haque, a patriot of exemplary character with a record of considerable sacrifices for the cause of freedom, played an important part in it. Largely through the efforts of another contemporary national leader of Bihar, Shri Deep Narayan Singh of Bhagalpur, the second session of the Bihar Provincial Conference was held at that city under the Presidentship of Dr. S. Sinha, an eminent soul of Bihar and one of the illustrious representatives of the liberal school of statesmen of those days. It is gratifying to recall that while an alien Government was, in pursuance of its own policy of divide and rule, seeking to foster communal separatism in India, particularly from 1906, Bihar presented "a unique spectacle, in the whole of India, of Muslims and non-Muslims working shoulder to shoulder in complete harmony, inspired by common ideals and inspiration." The Indian National Congress held its twenty-seventh session at Patna in 1912, a year of great significance in the history of Bihar for its emergence as a separate Province, destined to play a glorious role in the history of Indian nationalism.