After meeting with Ambedkar in Bombay, Baba returned to Nasik. Within a few days, he sent Rustom to try to see Mahatma Gandhi in Yeravda Prison where he was incarcerated in Poona. Rustom was not successful, because individual interviews were not permitted at the time.
Soon after, the British government removed restrictions on interviews, and Baba sent Chanji and Ramjoo from Nasik to see Gandhi on the morning of September 21st (1932). They found Gandhi sitting on his bed in a courtyard of the prison and working on a charkha – spinning cotton into yarn. Gandhi warmly welcomed them and had them sit near. They had the following conversation:
Gandhi began, “So, Meher Baba has come back! I came to know about it only this morning through the Chronicle. I do not read the newspapers very carefully, but Sardar Patel reads them from corner to corner and he told me about it. When exactly did Meher Baba return?”
Ramjoo replied, “Baba returned to India on the 5th of September.”
Gandhi asked, “Why was there no news for so long in the papers about him that even his return was not published? When Baba left for Europe, I read about it in the Indian press.”
Chanji responded, “The reason is that Baba’s return was kept private.”
Ramjoo interjected, “Even the news that has been in the Chronicle has not been approved by Baba. It was Rustom who had it published when he failed to get an interview with you the other day.”
Gandhi said, “I often inquire of those near me as to why there is no news of Meher Baba. There is some talk here almost every day about him and his name slips into our conversations. Has he begun speaking yet?”
Ramjoo replied, “He was to break his silence in America, but he did not.”
Chanji explained, “There were extensive arrangements made for broadcasting his first utterance on radio, but Baba postponed them and did not break his silence.”
Ramjoo said, “This is the eighth year of his silence. He completed his seventh year of silence in July.”
Gandhi said, “Yes, I read about the arrangements for his breaking of his silence. But really, now, he is carrying it too far! Too long!”
Ramjoo then said, “Meher Baba has also been to China and Japan.”
Gandhi replied in surprise, “Oh, has he been all over America, China and Japan, too? How many days did he stay in America?”
Chanji explained that he accompanied Baba, saying, “He stayed there about fifteen days. He was in Japan for only one day and he stopped in China for a week. Instead of then returning to America as planned, he proceeded to Europe, stopping over in Bombay for a very short time.”
Ramjoo said to Gandhi, “You remember when Baba saw you last January, just before your arrest, that he promised you that he would meet the leaders of the Untouchables and use his influence to make them accept joint electorates. Accordingly, he saw some of the local leaders before he left and wired Dr. Ambedkar, who could not come. Baba then left for Europe and America.
“On his return, Baba came to know of your arrest and sent for Ambedkar, meeting with him for half an hour. Baba impressed upon him the fact that, although he himself never took part in any politics, he wanted to convince the depressed classes that it was for their own benefit to accept joint electorates with reservation of seats and other rights; otherwise, they would organize themselves on their own accord into an Untouchable group for all time, and that sooner or later, he wanted to see the Brahmins and so-called Untouchables on equal footing, not only in politics but in the matter of religion and spirituality.
“Ambedkar replied that he would keep Baba’s advice in mind, but that first he had to consult with his committee members and would let Baba know the results later. Baba says that this settlement of the electorate problem, for which you have started fasting, will soon be settled, but he does wish you to fast for forty days. In reference to your desire to spend a night with Baba and requesting the ‘key’ …”
Gandhi interrupted, “Key?”
Chanji explained, “Ramjoo is referring to your meeting with Baba in London when you asked him to give you the key.”
Ramjoo concluded, “After the fast, you should spend the fortieth night with Baba and he will make you God-Realized.”
Gandhi explained, “I have started this fast under the condition that I will terminate it if a settlement is arrived at. In that case, I would be going against my word if I were to continue the fast, because I did not declare beforehand that I would remain fasting in any other case. And people are very uneasy about it.”
Ramjoo replied, “That is perhaps why we have been asked to tell you to keep on fasting, if possible.”
Gandhi said, “That could be interpreted two ways. First, if the body has the stamina …”
Ramjoo interrupted, “We have been instructed to assure you that, in the case of your prolonging the fast under Baba’s advice, there would be no question of any physical harm. One of Baba’s mandali [Pleader] has been fasting on liquids for the past three years. Another disciple began a fast twelve days ago, and he has been directed by Baba to remain only on water for forty days. This instruction was given to him about a week before your prolonged fast was announced, but now it seems significant.”
Gandhi said, “Baba’s disciple must be feeling very pleased about the fast. Of course, I know that if one were to start fasting with the intention of keeping it, say for ninety days, and in the meantime dropped his body, the fast is considered complete. Not only that, but in this case, one could be said to be fasting eternally when the last breath came. In the next birth or in the next world, one is bound to remain free from the desire to eat for all time.
“Another meaning of ‘if possible’ is that there should be an inborn impulse or one should feel that whatever one had done so far was all useless. Or say God Himself whispers in one’s ear to fast as desired by Baba, or to do anything toward the spiritual end, then it could be done. Even if I break this fast when a settlement is reached and confirmed both here and in London, which I doubt, I will give notice to all concerned that I will resume the fast if the settlement is not carried out to the letter as well as the spirit. And I will do so if I am played false. I am not only keen on the issue of electorates, but I want to do the work of the depressed classes once and for all. Untouchability must disappear. I will, and may, keep more fasts if I am destined to do so.”
Ramjoo then said, “Since Baba met with you on the Rajputana and in London, there has been a considerable amount of misrepresentation in the press. This was possibly due to the reporters, while interviewing Baba, repeatedly questioning him about his association with you. Some mention of you had to be made to the reporters, but what Baba stated has been found to have been misconstrued.”
Chanji interjected, “I remember an interview to the press before leaving India in which Baba had particularly asked them not to make any reference to you. Yet by way of private information not for publication, he gave the impression you had promised to accompany him to America after you finished with your political work.”
Ramjoo said, “And this was twisted into screaming headlines such as Gandhi’s Spiritual Guru and the like, as can be seen in this scrapbook of newspaper clippings about Baba’s trip abroad.”
Looking at the newspaper articles, Gandhi said, “I see these are mostly from the English papers.”
Chanji affirmed, “Yes, the press clippings from the American papers are not included here, but a great stir was caused in that country.”
Ramjoo added, “So much so that even in Hollywood, where materialism could be said to be at its height, movie stars such as Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Tallulah Bankhead and others were greatly drawn to Baba. This article from Liberty magazine is very good and impartially written. Yet the writer of it, Frederick Collins, has made a mess of it here in reference to you. I would like you to read it, so I will send you a typed copy.”
Gandhi said, “Yes, I will read it. But why bother with a copy? Leave it with me. I will return it to you when I am done with it.”
Ramjoo added, “Regarding the misrepresentation in the press, as soon as it came to Baba’s attention, Chanji was instructed to have it corrected. I received a cable from London to inform you about it and I accordingly wrote you.”
Gandhi replied, “I did not receive your letter. Did you get any reply from me?”
“No,” said Ramjoo, “I did not, but then I did not expect a reply. I only wrote to give you the information.”
“But that letter never got to me,” said Gandhi. “This kind of misrepresentation is made two ways; some do it knowing that it is all false; nevertheless, they write it. And some do it unknowingly, really believing that they have the true facts. The British are very keen on seeing my downfall and they want to bring it about, but one cannot be made to fall in this way. If I wish to lower myself, it is to serve my purpose; likewise, if I want to raise myself up, I also do so to serve my own purpose and fulfill some aim.”
By this time it was 6 P.M., and Chanji and Ramjoo felt there was nothing else to discuss. The jailer approached. Smiling, he said he hoped they were finished. Gandhi also smiled and they got up to leave.
Ramjoo said, “We have given you Baba’s message and we will convey yours to him that there is some talk of him here in prison every day.”
“Yes, do tell him that,” Gandhi said as he shook their hands.
Ramjoo and Chanji returned to Nasik and informed Baba in detail of their meeting with Gandhi.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 5, pp. 1714 – 1718.