47. To Motilal Nehru¹

Bombay,
September 2, [1924]

DEAR MOTILALJI,

This is again early morning after prayer. I hope you received my long letter. I expect a wire from you. I was unable to revise it. I cannot now recall the exact wording of the personal part. After all, Mrs Naidu did not read it as the letter was posted before she could read it. But the business part, of which I have a copy, she and many others have read.

This letter like the former is meant to be a plea for Jawaharlal. He is one of the loneliest young men of my acquaintance in India. The idea of your mental desertion of him hurts me. Physical desertion I hold to be impossible. Needless to say Manzar Ali and I often talked of the Nehrus whilst we were together at Yeravda. He said once that if there was one thing for which you lived more than any other, it was for Jawahar. His remark seemed to be so true. I don't want to be the cause direct or indirect of the slightest breach in that wonderful affection.

Yours sincerely,
M.K. GANDHI

Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. XXV p. 65

1 Pandit Motilal Nehru (1863-1931)-Lawyer and Swarajist leader, twice President of Indian National Congress.