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When P.P.Doctorjee’s first visit to Kashi (Varanasi) was in the offing, some
leftists and communists brought out a leaflet, highly critical of Sangha and P.P.Doctorjee.
The leaflet had the tile “Beware of Infant Fascists” and it direly warned
against Sangha activities. It called out for a total public boycott of public
Sangha programs, and called P.P.Doctorjee “A Paigamber of Sangha” and in a
most rude and derogatory manner.
By chance coincidence, the leftist gang gave the contract for printing this
leaflet to a printing press that was owned by a swayamsevak! They, of course,
did this in ignorance. The swayamsevak brought a copy to P.P.Doctorjee the
moment he stepped off the train at Varanasi station.
The swayamsevak said: “Doctor saheb, the leftists did this in ignorance. We
have printed 30,000 copies of this leaflet, but they are due to be delivered
only tomorrow afternoon. Please permit me to burn them down to ashes at the
last moment. I will do it in such a way that they will think it was an
accident.”
P.P.Doctorjee read the leaflet and said in a calm, peaceful voice: “There is
no need to burn anything. Please deliver the leaflets to them as per your contract.
Let them distribute them. There is no need to get worried or worked up over
this or similar occurrences.”
Next day, an evening speech by him addressing the youthful students of the
Kashi Hindu University was planned. Two hours before the event, the leftist
gang leaders came to the home where P.P.Doctorjee was staying, seeking a
meeting with him. Shri Sadgopalji, the kaaryawaha of Kashi (for Sangha work
in Kashi area) was a very powerful, influential man with a very sharp tongue.
He became very angry when he heard the leftist gangsters’ request. He said to
P.P.Doctorjee: “Please don’t pay any heed to their request. Let me take
“proper care” of these foolish people”. Shri. Bhaurao Damle (Sanghachalak of
Kashi - highest Sangha officer for Kashi) was equally fierce in his opinion.
But P.P.Doctorjee said, “Oh! Please don’t get upset. Let them come to me. I
want to hear firsthand, what they have to say.”
Shri Sadgopalji and Shri Damleji said, “OK, if you insist we will let them
see you. But please let us do the talking”. P.P.Doctorjee said, “They are
coming to speak with me. Let us allow them.”
After the leftists arrived and introductions were performed, P.P.Doctorjee
ascertained that these were the people who had put out the leaflet. Then he
casually inquired with them the purpose of their visit. They said. “We wanted
to hear from you, first hand, about Sangha.”
P.P.Doctorjee: “Then you don’t know Sangha at all?”
Leftist Leader: “No”
P.P.Doctorjee: “Really, is this so?”
Leftist Leader: “Really, we don’t know.”
P.P.Doctorjee took out the leaflet from his pocket, put it in front of the
leftists, and said, “Are all these signatures really yours?”
Leftists: “Yes”. [They were flabbergasted to see the copy of their leaflet
there.]
P.P.Doctorjee: “If as you said, you truly wished to know Sangha, you could
have honestly discussed this with me, prior to putting out this leaflet. If
after our discussion, still there were honest differences of opinion, you
were free to do any propaganda you liked. Then your opinions would have the
moral weight of honesty. But you chose an entirely different path. With such
a dishonest “stab in the back, while speaking sweetly on the face” type
mentality, discussions will not be of any use. Go ahead and do your
propaganda as you like.”
Leftist leaders were dumbfounded. Their enthusiasm for argument had
collapsed. They returned totally defeated.
Great curiosity had been around about P.P.Doctorjee’s speech that evening,
due to the anti-propaganda. Even Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, (founder of
Kashi Hindu University) personally presided over the public meeting, mainly
to ensure that the students would not bring a bad name to the institution by
causing unrest and disruption.
P.P.Doctorjee excelled in his speech on that day. He omitted all references
to the leaflet entirely. Pandit Malaviya was very pleased.
This speech aroused great enthusiasm about Sangha and it grew there by leaps
and bounds. Even the vice chancellor, Shri Verma too joined Sangha work.
In the face of dire attacks, P.P.Doctorjee’s legendary “Grace under pressure”
had won the day – yet again!
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