Image: Gandhi in 1946, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Gandhi’s peace work did not end with his journey through Noakhali. In March and April 1947, he travelled through violence-affected parts of Bihar, where communal killings had taken place.

Why Gandhi went to Bihar

The Gandhi Heritage Portal records that Gandhi began a tour of violence-affected villages in Bihar on 30 March 1947 and continued his work there in April.

His message to local communities

Gandhi appealed to people to stop retaliation and to protect neighbours regardless of religion. He also called for the return of stolen property and support for people displaced by violence.

Peace through personal responsibility

Rather than treating communal violence only as a political dispute, Gandhi repeatedly asked ordinary people to take responsibility for the safety of their neighbours.

The wider political background

These visits occurred while British authorities, Congress and the Muslim League were negotiating India’s constitutional future. The political negotiations and communal violence were closely connected in the final months before independence.

The Gandhi Heritage Portal chronology records Gandhi’s Bihar tour alongside his meetings with Viceroy Lord Mountbatten and the political developments leading to Partition. citeturn0search0

Read NewsNationOnline’s Noakhali feature and Gandhi’s communal-harmony article.

Imran Siddiqui

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