Fact Check
Detailed Fact-check:
A social media post claims that a document from the National Archives shows Gandhi received a monthly allowance of Rs. 100 from the British government for his personal expenses. The post suggests that this allowance reflects some association between Gandhi and the British government.
However, the truth is that this sum was meant for the prison department to cover the costs of Gandhi’s imprisonment, not for his personal use. Gandhi was held as a state prisoner, and the allocation of Rs. 100 was a part of a broader regulation that applied to political detainees of that time. This practice was customary under the regulations then in place, with many other prisoners receiving similar allowances.
The Document:
The document referenced is a letter from G.F.S. Collins, the Secretary of the Home Department in Bombay, to his counterpart in the Government of India. This letter, available on the India Culture website, confirms that the Rs. 100 allowance was meant for the prison department and debited from the Government of India under a specific budget heading for state prisoners.
A Common Practice:
The allocation of such allowances was standard for high-profile political prisoners during that era. It is important to note that many political prisoners, including revolutionaries, received allowances from the British government. For example, the letter also mentions Satish Chandra Pakrashi, another prisoner, who had similar expenses covered.
Gandhi’s Refusal:
Moreover, Gandhi himself declined to use this allowance for personal purposes. In a letter dated May 10, 1930, from Yeravada Jail to E.E. Doyle, the Inspector General of Prisons for the Bombay Presidency, Gandhi made it clear that he did not need the full Rs. 100 allocation. He wrote, “The Government has suggested Rs. 100 as a monthly allowance. I hope I shall need nothing near it. I know that my food is a costly affair. It grieves me, but it has become a physical necessity with me.”
Conclusion:
The viral post misrepresents the nature of the Rs. 100 allowance. Gandhi did not personally receive this money; it was allocated for his maintenance as part of prison regulations, and he actively tried to minimize its use.
Source: Factly.in Factly, August 20, 2023