These are hard decisions to make, but Mahatma Gandhi's ability to negotiate is considered by many to be without parallel.
He brought two qualities to this science that before him – and, regrettably, after – did not (and do not) exist: empathy and morality. A beautiful little story from 1919 - about a hundred years ago – is most illustrative.
After the tragedy at Jallianwala Bagh (in May 1919), the Indian National Congress met in December that year for a plenary. Gandhiji drafted a resolution condemning the massacre but criticizing also the preceding violence in which five young Englishmen were killed and an Englishwoman assaulted.
KM Munshi recorded what happened subsequently:
“The hearts of most of us revolted at the latter part of the resolution. One Punjab leader gave expression to the feeling rather crudely: no one born of an Indian mother, he said, could have drafted this resolution. Lokmanya Tilak too was indignant, and so were Bipin Chandra Pal and CR Das; and the latter part of the resolution was lost by an overwhelming majority.
The next day the President wanted the committee to reconsider the resolution as Gandhiji, he said, was very keen on it. There were vehement protests. Ultimately, Gandhiji – who was unwell - was helped to the table to move that the resolution be reconsidered. Out of respect, the house sat quiet, but with ill-concealed impatience.
Referring to the remark that no son born of an Indian mother could have drafted the resolution, Gandhiji stated that he had considered deeply and for long whether as an Indian he could have drafted the resolution. After deep introspection, he had come to the conclusion, that only a person born of an Indian mother could have drafted it.
And then he spoke as if his whole life depended upon the question. When he stopped, we were at his feet. The resolution was reconsidered and accepted in its original form.”
Gandhiji had given a new meaning to Indian honour, enabled the Congress to capture the moral height in the independence battle and put the Empire on the defensive.
- - Quoted from Why Gandhi Still Matters
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