Gandhi and the fear of bankruptcy of faith


" As kasturba neared death, Mohandas took over his care. Two days before she died, she pleaded for castrol oil;he would not give it." A patient should never try to be his or her own doctor," he told her." I would like to give up using medicine now." The last battles of the Gandhi family took place over Kasturba`s deathbed. Devadas has penicillin flown in from Calcutta to treat his mother. Gandhi was opposed from the outset and , when he heard that the penicillin was to be given by injection, forbade it. Devadas and his father had a fight, with Gandhi pleading,"Why do you not trust God?' Kasturba had no penicillin. Instead her husband filled the room with his followers,who sang devotional songs.
The next day, Kasturba died, after a long, slow and painful illness.

(Alex Von Tunzelmann, Indian Summer)

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