Sharma : Did you give thought to this, that socialism of western type has to be amended to suit the Indian situation?
Chavan : I thought so, Because the Indian conditions were different and that concept came to me when I tried to understand Roy. He was trying to interpret the requirements of application of theory of socialism to India after examining the conditions in India. So that is an idea that socialism does not need to be of one single type to be imposed on each and every country.
Sharma : It could not beplanted wholesale?
Chavan : No. you cannot do that. So naturally socialism that India needs has to be evolved with its own experience.
Sharma : Now, ine that context, do you think that Gandhiji has given a new dimension to socialism?
Chavan : I think so. Now I feel that Gandhiji has given a new dimension to socialism. The criticism which I made in 1932 does not hold good now. I have been through much experience. Though he seemed to be very idealist, he was the most realist leader that India has even produced. Gandhiji stands in a greater dimension before me today than even then. I am not a Gandhian, but I consider Gandhiji to be the greatest leader. He under stood the psychology of the people and the strategy to be applied. The compromises that he made were not as a strategy. He did it as a part of his intuition and what ever he thought right. But now ien retrospect if one looks at it, his acceptance of the pact with Irwin, his approach to 1942 movement, and the manner in which he treated the underground workers ( with sympathy and understanding after his release ) shows how realistic and practical he was Some of his disciples, so called Gandhians, were rather very doctrinaire people, he was, a creative man.
Sharma : They were more Gandhian than Gandhiji himself.
Chavan : More Gandhian than Gandhiji himself. While we were in jail in 1942, they were highly critical of 1942 movement. But when Gndhiji came to Panchgani after his release in 1944. I along with my friends went to see him and he did not condemn them. He said that they were patriots.
