PANCHAGANI: About 10 young men, believed to be members of a militant Hindu organisation, created a scene at the conclusion of Mr. Gandhi’s public prayers this evening [July 22]. They shouted anti-Pakistan and anti-Congress slogans before leaving the prayer hall.

Today being the 22nd of the month — the day on which Kasturba Gandhi died five months ago — Mr. Gandhi held special prayers in this cottage in the morning and spent considerable time in “sacrificial spinning” in the afternoon. At 7p.m. he arrived at the Zoroastrian Young Women’s Education Home, where he holds his evening prayers. When the prayers were over, a young man stated to be a school master from Poona stood up and asked Mr. Gandhi if the many statements that had appeared in the press on the communal question, with which his name was associated, had his authority. Mr. Gandhi replied “yes, they are correct and authorised by me”. The young man then shouted that he wanted to protest against Mr. Gandhi’s views.

Mr. Gandhi said that the prayer hall was not the proper place to discuss the communal question and his views, whereupon some other members of the congregation raised anti-Pakistan slogans. (Dawn, Delhi)

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2014