Sharp Practice?
I had no doubt about the soundness of my advice, but I doubted very much my fitness for doing full justice to the case. I felt it would be a most hazardous undertaking to argue such a difficult case before the Supreme Court, and I appeared before the Bench in fear and trembling.
As soon as I referred to the error in the accounts, one of the judges said:
“Is not this sharp practice, Mr. Gandhi?”
I boiled within to hear this charge. It was intolerable to be accused of sharp practice when there was not the slightest warrant for it.
“With a judge prejudiced from the start like this, there is little chance of success in this difficult case,” I said to myself. But I composed my thoughts and answered:
“I am surprised that your Lordship should suspect sharp practice without hearing me out.”
“No question of a charge,” said the judge. “It is a mere suggestion.”
“The suggestion here seems to me to amount to a charge. I would ask your Lordship to hear me out and then arraign me if there is any occasion for it.”
“I am sorry to have interrupted you,” replied the judge. “Pray do go on with your explanation of the discrepancy.”
I had enough material in support of my explanation. Thanks to the judge having raised this question, I was able to rivet the Court’s attention on