Page 26 - Gujar Mal Modi

“What did Turner say?” asked the Maharaja.

He said, “You dirty Indian .... Sir, are you not an Indian?”

The Maharaja listened carefully. He knew that perhaps the angry young man was
right, but he wanted to take a different stand. He called Mr. Multanimal Modi and

told him that he feared his young, irate son might turn out to be a revolutionary.

There is still another incident which illustrates how young Modi had developed
a dauntless character and a strong love for discipline and self-respect. In 1930

the Maharaja of Patiala won a suit against the Princely Ruler of the neighbouring
State of Nabha. It was an occasion for rejoicing. A public function was arranged

to honour and reward those who had helped in winning the suit against the
State of Nabha. Prominent men from all walks of life were invited to a public

durbar in front of the fort and separate enclosures were set apart for each cate-
gory of invitees. An official of the reception committee, who was deputed to look

after the seating arrangements, objected to one invitee, a prominent citizen, tak-
ing his seat on the Chandni (a while sheet)- meant for the gazetted officers. Mr.

Modi took this as an insult to all the invitees. He protested and talked to all the
invitees present there. This had an electrifying effect. All the invitees including

the Commissioner were convinced of the reasonableness of his argument. There
was a mild flutter in the durbar and the authorities had to intervene to bring the

situation under control. On another occasion, at a party hosted by the Maharaja,
the invitees were asked to drink and dance in the Western style, but Mr. Modi

refused to do so, much to the chagrin of the Maharaja. In this respect, he was a
traditionalist.

By his very nature Mr. Modi never would compromise on matters of principles
dear to him. He always had an urge to give a new and dynamic direction to his

business activities. The new accounting system introduced by him for maintain-
ing the accounts of his business had been working very satisfactorily and his

father, who was not conversant with the new system was satisfied that the new
system had neither resulted in any complaint of irregularities nor had it shown

any pitfalls.

The cramping atmosphere in the princely states, and the rulers’ unfavourable

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