HART, DAVID B.

Letter, September 21, 1934⁶⁷

Dear friend,
I have your letter of 26th July last. The Indian movement stands for complete independence. That does not exclude an honourable partnership on absolutely equal terms. But there can be no association with imperialist exploitation of India or any other country. Naturally you have heard the opinion that India could not be left on its own. Imperialism has always justified itself in that manner. I believe in the maxim that no greater evil can befall a country than that it should lose its independence.
The caste system, as it exists at present, is certainly the bane of Hindu life. Its rigour is unmitigated by the British rule. On the contrary it gains force because of the so-called neutrality necessarily observed by the ruling power for the sake of itself. The great movement of removal of untouchability is an attack on the evil underlying the caste system.