KOCHI, July 25: There are many septuagenarians in Uzhavoor, President K R Narayanan's village in Kerala, with whom he shared childhood memories during his rare visits to the village.

Once when asked about the most cherished moment in his eventful life, Narayanan, without a moment's pause, said it was the opportunity he had as a small-time journalist to interview Mahatma Gandhi during the momentous phase of the country's freedom struggle.

Before that interview took place at Birla House in Malabar Hill, Mumbai, on April 10, 1944, Narayanan had only a fleeting glimpse of the Father of the Nation at Ettumanoor near his village. He along with his family, went to see the Mahatma during his visit to the erstwhile Travancore State soon after the historic Temple Entry Proclamation which threw open the temples to `lower' castes.

Gandhiji, who had become a living legend by then, cast a magic spell on young Narayanan as he sat down to interview the Mahatma. But there was an unforeseen problem. Gandhiji would not talk as he was observing `mauna vratham' (vow of silence).

So Narayanan had to put his questions on paper and Gandhiji gave his answers in writing. Narayanan was allowed only seven questions. It is evident from the questions and answers that Narayanan, a cub reporter then, was too timid to ask any provocative questions and Gandhiji, a journalist and editor himself, was very terse in his reply.

This was how the brief interview went, as recounted by Prof C J Mannummood, writer and a close acquaintance of Narayanan, in his short biography on Narayanan titled Our Vice-President.

Narayanan: Do you still believe that the Harijan problem is essentially a religious and social issue and that it has no great political significance?

Gandhiji: It has got political significance. But only in an indirect way.

Narayanan: But isn't it a fact that leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru are not fully aware of the Harijan problem?

Gandhiji: They are engrossed in that activity.

Narayanan: But, irrespective of the Harijan Sevak Samaj and long years of activities, not even a dozen leaders could be produced from within the ranks of Harijans?

Gandhiji: That allegation is only partially true.

Narayanan: All great men interpret complex issues in simple terms. You interpret this problem by distinguishing between violence and non-violence, truth and falsehood, right and wrong. But is not the present conflict between one right and another right, one truth and another truth? How can you settle such a problem through non-violence?

Gandhiji: It's something to be demonstrated in practice.

Narayanan: In the Hindu-Muslim issue, the real conflict is between the rights of the Hindus and those of the Muslims. How can you apply the doctrine of non-violence here? Especially since these rights conflict with each other?

Gandhiji: This explosive issue can be properly handled only through satyagraha. Your question reveals that you have not studied about it. Pyarelal will give you a list of books. My advise to you is that you should seriously study the books on these issues.

Narayanan: Can a Harijan who goes abroad serve his country and community from the foreign land?

Gandhiji: If you are not dedicated to one cause, you can't serve any other causes. If you have the will, you could resolve the problems of your motherland, wherever you are.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.