Harijan Poona — Saturday July 16 1938

Here is the resolution of the Working Committee which met at Haripura : " The Committee notes with satisfaction the policy adopted by the All India Spinners' Assciation for ensuring adequate wages to the spinners and other artisans engaged in the prduction of khadi and the steps taken by it in that behalf and calls upon all Congressmen and. the public in general to give full co-operation an [...] We realize the difficulty that will probably be encountered in the matter of secuing the co-operation of the shopkeepers and others responsible for the encroachments. [...] When I advised the Working Committee to authorize acceptance of office the idea was that whilst the letter of the Government of India Act should not be trangressed its interpretation should be stretched to the farthest limit so as to widen the liberty of the people and to strengthen the Congress. [...] The workers have evidently missed the scope and the message of the A. I. S. A. It is a philanthropic organization formed by the Congress and has been given an autonomous charter for the specific purpose of developing the central village industry. [...] It must be left to the unfettered choice of the individual as to where he or she will marry or dine." ( Harijan: 16-11-1935 ) Gandhiji has also defined the attitude of the Harijan Sevak Sangh and individual Harijan sevaks with regard to intermarriage and interdining as part of the campaign of the removal of untouchability.