Soon after her return she again had to go abroad with her daughter Padamja to S. Africa to preside over East African Congress in 1929.
Meanwhile Congress session was scheduled to be held in the month of December. Jawahar Lal Nehru was nominated to be its president.
Sarojini wrote to him—
My dear Jawahar,
I think tomorrow your father will be the most proud man in the country and your heart will be heavy with impending responsibility. Last night I sat up quite late thinking of the words for this letter. As I have already predicted your destiny is a glorious sacrifice. When I first saw your face I felt that I was seeing coronation and martyrdom at one place. In bearing the grave responsibility my help or cooperation will always be there just for your asking. You know that.
Even if I am not able to give you concrete help I can give my good wishes and affection…although, Khalil Zibran has said that a man’s wishes can’t become wings for another. But I believe that a person’s invincible trust can become a flame in another person with which the later can light up the world.
Your affectionate friend—sister
Sarojini Naidu
This Congress session proved a milestone in Indians history because it raised the demand of ‘Full freedom form colonial rule’. Many programmes to challenge the British policies were drawn out.
Gandhiji began his famous ‘Dandi March’ on 12th March 1930 against the ‘Salt Act’. He reached the sea shore on 6th April and defied the law by making salt. Sarojini Naidu was also taking part in the march. She raised the slogan ‘Hail the angel of liberation!’
Gandhiji was arrested on 5th May.
His second-in-Command Abbas Tayyabji was also put in jail. The command of the movement was now in the hands of Sarojini Naidu. She exhorted women to join the movement.
She said, ‘The time has come when the women folk can’t shirk away from the freedom struggle on the excuse of being the members of the weaker sex. The women must stand shoulder to shoulder with men at this hour.’’
The movement became fiercer in the form of ‘Civil Disobedience’.
More leaders got arrested. Sarojini was among them. Thousands of workers courted arrest in a bid to overcrowd the jails. Both the Nehrus (father and son) were also arrested.
The Viceroy tried to strike a peace deal with jailed leaders, Gandhiji, Motilal, Jawahar Lal, Sarojini and two members of the ‘Congress Committee. The Viceroy, Lord Irvin proposed a ‘Round Table Conference’ in London which was accepted.
In January, 1931 Gandhiji and Sarojini were released from jail. They left India on 29 August, 1931 to take part in the Round Table Conference.
Due to dishonest intentions of the British the conference proved fruitless.
Sarojini left for S. Africa from London to take part in a conference there being held by the African Congress. By the time she returned to India the members of the Congress Working Committee had again been arrested. She was the only one outside jail.
So, Sarojini became Working President of the Congress and took charge of the office. She planned some new moves and made fresh appointments to vacant posts as most of the incumbent party officials had been sent to jail. Sarojini decided to hold Congress Session in Delhi in April with new appointees.
The agenda was—(1) To work for total freedom (2) To revive Civil Disobedience movement (3) To declare Gandhiji as the sole representative and spokesperson of the party.
She set out for Delhi from Bombay on 22 April, 1932 but at the very next station she was arrested and sent to Yervada women prison.
On 8 August, 1932 the colonial rulers declared the Communal Award according to which Muslims and Harijans were given recognition as separate constituencies. It enraged Gandhiji and he undertook ‘Fast unto death’ in protest.
To save his life Dr. Ambedkar agreed upon the Poona Pact, a compromise formula on hehalf of Harijans.
