IN FRONTIER GANDHI'S VILLAGE HOME 55
remarked Gandhiji, " is that show of force is also a species
of violence and brings upon the user the same retribution
as violence itself, indeed it is worse." Badshah Khari appre-
ciated Gandhiji's objection. The guards were removed,
but Badshah Khan insisted on unarmed night watches to
which Gandhiji submitted, though under protest.
To GandhijTs mind the incident seemed to be sym-
bolical of another and bigger issue that confronted the
country. Just as a satyagrahi must renounce the use of
arms for self-protection, even so, if India was ever to at-
tain non-violent Swaraj she must first be able to defend
herself against the trans-border raids without the help of
the police and the military. Here in the Frontier Pro-
vince there were said to be one lakh of Khudai Khidmat-
gars pledged to the creed of non-violence. If they had
really assimilated the principle of non-violence, said
Gandhiji, if their non-violence was the true non-violence
of the brave and not a mere expedient or a lip profession,
they ought to be able to befriend the trans-border raiders
t>y their loving service, and to wean them from their raid-
ing habit. Indeed they could win independence for India
and set an example to the whole world.
He opened out his heart in the course of a talk with
Badshah Khan : " The conviction is growing upon me/7 he
TDegan, " that unless we can develop the capacity to stop
these Frontier raids without the help of the police and the
military, it is no use the Congress retaining power in this
province. For, in that case, our strength will continue to
€bb away and we are bound to be defeated in the end. A
wise General never waits till he is beaten. He withdraws
in time from a position which he knows he would not be
able' to hold."
" For years," he continued, " ever since we met
each other, it has been a pet dream of mine to visit
the tribal areas, go right up to Kabul, mix with the trans-
border tribes and try to understand their psychology. Why
•should we not go forth together, present to them our
viewpoint and establish with them a bond of. friendship
and sympathy ? I am certain that the only way of bring-