Chapter 69 Chapter Thirteen Return to India

So I took a boat back home.When passing through Mauritius, because the ship had been moored for a long time, I went ashore for sightseeing and learned about the local situation.I spent the night with Sir Charles Bruce, the governor of the colony, as a guest.When I got back to India, I spent some time looking around.It was 1901 and the National Congress Party was meeting in Calcutta, presided over by Mr Dinshaw Huacha (later knighted).Of course I also participated.This is my first National Congress rally. I left Bombay on the same train as Sir Ferozesha Mehta, because I was going to tell him about South Africa.I know his noble way of life.He booked a special room, and I was ordered to sit in his box and talk to him.So I went to his box at the designated station and reported to him.Present here are Mr. Huacha and Mr. Kimman Lal Sedawa (now Sir).They are discussing political issues.As soon as Sir Ferrozesha saw me, he said, "Gandhi, it doesn't look like you can be of much help. Of course, we would like to pass your bill. But what rights do we have at home? I believe that if we There is no political power here, and you will not be treated well in the colonies."

I'm a little surprised.Mr. Xie Dahua seemed to agree with this view; Mr. Huacha gave me a pitying look. I tried to persuade Sir Ferrozesha, but it was impossible for a man like me to persuade the uncrowned King of Bombay.The fact that I am allowed to move my motion suffices me. "Of course, you will show me the resolution," Mr. Hua Qia said, which was an encouragement to me.I thanked him, and at the next stop I said goodbye to them. Soon we arrived in Calcutta.The President of the General Assembly was warmly welcomed by the Hospitality Committee and taken to his residence. I asked a volunteer worker where I should go.He sent me to Li Peng College, where many representatives lived.My luck is not bad.Roccamania lived in the same building as me, and I remember he arrived a day later than us.

Naturally, Roccamania is still the same as before, and it is indispensable to "set up a dynasty" to accept people's visits.If I were a painter, I'd draw him sitting upright on the bed—the whole scene is so vivid in my memory.Countless people came to see him at that time, of whom I remember today only one, the late Babu Modiral Goss, editor-in-chief of the Kamna Market.They laugh out loud and talk about the wrongdoings of the ruling figures, which is unforgettable. However, I would like to examine the situation of this station in a little detail.Volunteer workers pass the buck to each other.When you ask someone to do something, he passes it on to someone else, and then pushes it on to a third person, and so on.As for the representatives, they were nowhere to be found.

I made friends with several volunteer workers.I told them something about South Africa, and they felt somewhat ashamed.I try to make them understand the secret of serving the people.They seem to understand, but services are not as easy to grow as mushrooms after rain.It is determined first by will, then by experience.As far as those good and simple-hearted young people are concerned, they do not lack will, but their experience can be said to be equal to zero.The National Congress Party holds a three-day meeting every year, and then goes to sleep after the meeting.There are only three days of performance in a year, how can people be trained?And the deputies are similar to the volunteers; the deputies are not better or longer trained than the volunteers.They don't do anything themselves, but they often point fingers and say, "Volunteer workers, do this," "Volunteer workers, do that."

In a place like this, I still face a lot of untouchable stereotypes.Tamil kitchens are separated from other people's kitchens.For the Tamil delegates, seeing someone else while they were eating was considered defilement.So a kitchen had to be made especially for them in the college grounds, enclosed with wicker-board walls.The kitchen was filled with smoke and it was suffocating.Kitchen, dining room, laundry all rolled into one—a tight airless place.In my opinion, this is like a clumsy expression of "Varna Karma".I said to myself, if there were such untouchable stereotypes among the Congress representatives, one could easily imagine how wide a divide existed among the constituencies they represented.Thinking of this, I couldn't help but sigh.

The unsanitary conditions were the worst.Ditches are everywhere.There are only a few toilets.I still feel nauseous just thinking about that stink.I pointed it out to the volunteer workers, and they simply said, "That's not our business, it was done by the toilet cleaner." I asked to borrow a broom, and the man looked at me strangely.I found a broom to clean the toilet, but only for myself.There are so many people, so crowded, and so few toilets, so it needs to be cleaned frequently, but I can't do so much by myself.So I can only be satisfied with squatting down.As for others, it seems that they don't feel dirty and smelly at all.

But that's not enough.Some delegates simply spend the night in the hallways outside their rooms.I pointed it out to the volunteer staff the next morning and no one cleaned it, and I stared that no one would share in the glory even if I did.Although the situation has greatly improved in the future, there are still many people who do not think about it and destroy the meeting place of the National Congress Party. Follow them to clean. I think that if the meeting is held for a long time, this situation will be very favorable for the occurrence of infectious diseases.