Harijan Ahmedabad — Sunday April 12 1942

] While the shortage of foodstuffs is partly due to the deficit in the total supply caused by the stoppage of rice imports from Burma and wheat imports from Australia coupled with exports of wheat from India the position has been greatly aggravated by the inefficient handling of the entire situation by the authorities in this country. [...] Apart from the gap caused by the cessation of imports the mishandling of the situation by the Government of India is in the main at the root of the serious position in respect of foodstuffs which has developed in the market in recent months. [...] Such amateurish attempt of the Government to control prices without due regard to the machinery of distribution and the cost of replacement coupled with the fereciriiinV Of the middleman in many Pia'ceg the restrictions about the method of accounts in provinces like U. P. and the restrictions on the free movement of grain from one place to another even from one district to another seriously d [...] But if such a thing does happen if a caravan is attacked and the suicide of the Bats (Bhats) becomes necessary this is considered a terrible calamity and the superstition of the people demands that the offenders be put to death and not only the offenders themselves but the chief of the Rajputs deems it necessary to kill their sons and daughters also in fact to exterminate the whole of their r [...] On the train to Wardha 5-4-42 M. K. G. A Correction The Secretary to Government C. P. Education Department writes : " With reference to the allegation that the closing down of the Basic Normal Schools at Wardha and Seoni is it is understood being seriously contemplated by the Government of the Central Provinces ' published under the paragraph 'Sad contrast' in the issue of Harijan dated the 1