Jagannath Vedalankar's Correspondence with The Mother

End 1947

Gracious Mother,

Due to the influence of the communist union leaders, there is a difficulty as regards to cleanliness at the Press. I find that the workmen are now unwilling to act upon the orders that are given to them.

What should be done to remove this indiscipline?

It seems that there is not much chance to obtain discipline from them as indiscipline is part of the communist programme.

My elder brother writes to me: “The communal situation of our village [in Pakistan] seems to go from bad to worse. A great calamity is imminent upon the Hindu inhabitants of the village. We are all struck with a great panic. What should we do?

“It would be very good if you come to your native place and take my family with you to Pondicherry or somewhere else, say Hardwar (U.P.) or Guru-Kula Kangri or some other Hindu majority province. Wire us about the arrangement you make for us. At least I want to make my wife and children safe by sending them to a safer place. Will you come and take my family to Pondicherry, or, if we have to come to you, will you advise us about this journey to South India?”

What should I reply to my brother? How far am I concerned in the matter? Solely wedded to the Divine as I am and ever aspire to remain, what action should I do to express my inner attitude?

The difficulty is that if we admit people here in order to save them from communal trouble, we will soon have the whole of the Hindu community and surely Pondicherry is not big enough to hold it.

I agree that your duty towards the Divine goes before and above any other so-called duty. But if out of good heart and compassion you can, by writing a few letters, find some safer place for them elsewhere, there is no objection to your doing so.

My love and blessings

End 1947