Kolhatkar, Achyutrao : Achyutrao Balwant Kolhātkar (1879-1931), a versatile litterateur & a popular journalist who introduced a new style in Marathi writing. He was editor of the Deshasevak of Nagpur after 1906. In 1908 he was convicted for the publication in his paper of reports of Sri Aurobindo’s speeches, & in jail a brutal treatment was meted out to him. Karmayogin, 28 Aug. 1909: “The recent starvation strike of the Suffragettes has shown what callous & brutal treatment can be inflicted by English officials in England itself even on... women of education, good birth, position & culture.... Yet this is the civilisation for which we are asked to sacrifice the inheritance of our forefathers!” Prof Manoj Das: Extracts from the Question Hour in the British Parliament: 1909, August 5; J.D. Rees: “…Govt. ought to display its power over Orientals by deporting Arabindo Ghose for his sway over the youth.” – 1909, October 5; Hardie (q.v.): “…when Mr A. Ghose’s speeches & writings were adjudged non-seditious by Judge Beachcroft, why has Govt. not yet ordered the release of Mr Kolhātkar of Nagpur who had been sentenced to 15 months hard labour for merely reprinting those speeches?” In answer Under-secretary of State Alexander Murray obfuscates the issue with petty legalities. 1910 Hardie: “Everything that tells against the Indian people is blazed forth [in U.K.], & matters which might tell in their favour do not receive anything like the same publicity. [Then Hardie describes how Kolhātkar spent 5½months in a solitary cell (though law does not allow more than 7 days) loaded with chains that hardly let him walk, & lost over 30 lbs.]…. Mr Beachcroft... found that Mr Ghose has not been guilty of any offence known to the law.... It is freely admitted for Mr Ghose that his ideal is independence but the attainment of it is to be reached by passive resistance & by educating the people to stand by themselves; & counsel for the crown admits that there is nothing wrong in cherishing such an ideal.... Now not a single article has been pointed out to me, which suggests the use of violence....” [First Decade of the Century, 1972]

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Karmayogin > Facts and Comments

... the mildest and most docile of characters. The other case is that of Mr. Achyutrao Kolhatkar of Nagpur, editor of the Deshsevak , a gentleman of distinguished education, ability and character, who was convicted for the publication in his paper of the reports of Srj. Aurobindo Ghose's speeches delivered at a time when Mr. Kolhatkar was absent from Nagpur. The Sessions Judge of Alipur declared on the police... find it difficult to believe that the newspaper report of speeches from which the police could extract nothing that was not in the speaker's favour, could be at all seditious. Be that as it may, Mr. Kolhatkar was convicted and perhaps, according to the "strong man" code of ethics, forfeited claim to generous treatment by his refusal to apologise. We have heard rumours of treatment being meted Page ...