Parichand's Correspondence with The Mother

5 December 1947

Mother,

I approach You for the solution of a problem before me. Two gardeners were dismissed three or four months back. In spite of our repeated refusals, they persist in beseeching us for re-employment. On 1st December both appeared and, when refused employment, made an appeal for certificates saying, "Without certificates, we will not be given work by anybody."

We did not issue them certificates when they left, because all of us found them unsatisfactory—at times very unsatisfactory—in respect to conduct, work and attendance. Should I tell them that it is not possible for us to give them certificates because none of us found them satisfactory?

Legally we have to give a certificate stating the kind of work they did (gardener for instance), the date of their entering the service, the date of their leaving the service. If you have nothing favourable to say, you write nothing, because you must not write anything that would prevent them from finding a job in another house. If you give me the required particulars I shall write down a sample of such certificates.

My love and blessings

5 December 1947