17. Hit Me on the Head, First

The All India Conference was going on at Nagpur. Gandhiji and Vallabhbhai, along with others, were discussing in his cottage. Outside the cottage, a Marwari couple was having a brawl with the volunteers for a chance to meet Gandhiji. At last Vallabhbhai asked the volunteers to send in whosoever it was. At the same time a volunteer came running and informed about some mishap at the Bengal camp. Gandhiji, who had just finished shaving, got up immediately. The sun was shining brightly. Bapu took a sheet of cloth lying nearby and set off.

The couple, which had struggled so hard to see Bapuji, kept staring at him. The woman held at the corner of his sheet and said, "Just wait, I want to talk to you." Gandhiji, who was in a hurry to leave, dropped the sheet and left. Seeing this Vallabhbhai humoured, "On such occasions he would even throw his valet away and go there." In that freezing cold Gandhiji went to the Bengal camp and witnessed an unexpected scene. At his own cost, Das Babu had brought 250 representatives from Calcutta to oppose Gandhiji's proposal for non-cooperation. Banerji was supporting the proposal. Both their representatives were having a dispute. On reaching there Gandhiji stood upon a stool and asked the people other than Bengalis to leave the place. Then he said to the Bengalis, "I am the cause of all this dispute. So, if at all you want to hit anyone, hit me on the head, first of all." Within no time the brawl was calmed down. Gandhiji discussed things with Das Babu, then and there. As a result, Das Babu, who had initially opposed the proposal, himself put forth the proposal in the meeting!