Gandhi Page #32

His stand has produced a little shock of surprise. Holding

his tea, he turns to Gandhi with a little smile.

NEHRU:

I've been catching up on my reading.

He means Gandhi's of course. Jinnah looks at the two of them.

Gandhi has removed his sandals and is sitting cross-legged

on a fine upholstered chair. Jinnah's eyes rake him with

anger and distaste.

JINNAH:

(coldly)

I too have read Mr. Gandhi's writings,

but I'd rather be ruled by an Indian

terrorist than an English one. And I

don't want to submit to that kind of

law.

PATEL:

(to Nehru --

diplomatically --

but with a trace of

condescension)

I must say, Panditji, it seems to me

it's gone beyond remedies like passive

resistance.

GANDHI:

(in the silence)

If I may -- I, for one, have never

advocated passive anything.

They all look at him with some surprise. As he speaks, he

rises and walks to the servant.

GANDHI:

I am with Mr. Jinnah. We must never

submit to such laws -- ever. And I

think our resistance must be active

and provocative.

They all stare at him, startled by his words and the fervor

with which he speaks to them.

GANDHI:

I want to embarrass all those who

wish to treat us as slaves. All of

them.

He holds their gaze, then turns to the immobile servant and

with a little smile, takes the tray from him and places it

on the table next to him. It makes them all aware that the

servant, standing there like an insensate ornament, has been

treated like a "thing," a slave. As it sinks in, Gandhi pours

some tea then looks up at them with a pleading warmth --

first to Jinnah.

GANDHI:

Forgive my stupid illustration. But

I want to change their minds -- not

kill them for weaknesses we all

possess.

It impresses each one of them. But for all his impact, they

still take the measure of him with caution.

AZAD:

And what "resistance" would you offer?

GANDHI:

The law is due to take effect from

April sixth. I want to call on the

nation to make that a day of prayer

and fasting.

"Prayer and fasting"? They are not overwhelmed.

JINNAH:

You mean a general strike?

GANDHI:

(his grin)

I mean a day of prayer and fasting.

But of course no work could be done --

no buses, no trains, no factories,

no administration. The country would

stop.

Patel is the first to recognize the implications.

PATEL:

My God, it would terrify them...

AZAD:

(a wry smile)

Three hundred fifty million people

at prayer. Even the English newspapers

would have to report that. And explain

why.

KRIPALANI:

But could we get people to do it?

NEHRU:

(he is half sold

already)

Champaran stirred the whole country.

(To Gandhi)

They are calling you Mahatma -- the

Great Soul.

GANDHI:

Fortunately such news comes very

slowly where I live.

NEHRU:

(continuing, to the

others)

I think if we all worked to publicize

it... all of the Congress... every

avenue we know.

The idea has caught hold. As the others talk of "papers,"

"telegrams," "speeches," Jinnah looks over his cup at Gandhi

with an air of bitter resignation, but he tries to make light

of it.

JINNAH:

Perhaps I should have stayed in the

garden and talked about the flowers.

THE GARDEN - VICEROY'S PALACE - EXTERIOR - DAY

A garden party in full imperial splendor. A military band

plays discreetly in the background. Princes, maharajahs,

generals, ranking British civil servants and their ladies

taking tea on the manicured lawns among the exotic flowers.

But over all there is a thread of anxiety, we pick up one or

two nervous phrases: "At the West Gate there were no taxis

at all!," "Of course, the Army will always be loyal." And

the camera picks out a civil servant stepping from a door of

the palace carrying a sheaf of telegrams and cable forms.

He searches the assembled guests, then heads with almost

indecorous haste toward his target. It is the Viceroy, Lord

Chelmsford. With him, talking quietly, are his aide-de-camp,

the Governor of the province and his ADC, and the commanding

general of the Army in India. Lord Chelmsford's ADC is the

first to react to the civil servant's arrival and his

impatient attendance.

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