Which of the following statements of Gandhiji made at the opening of Banaras Hindu University are true?

(A) Gandhiji charged the Indian elite with a lack of concern for the laboring poor.

(B) Gandhiji was not worried about the contrast between the “richly bedecked noblemen” and millions of poor Indians.

(C) Gandhiji said, “Our salvation can only come through lawyers, doctors, and rich landlords.”

(D) Gandhiji emphasized that farmers are going to secure the salvation of India.

(E) Gandhiji told the privileged invitees, “Strip yourself of this jewelry and hold it in trust for your countrymen.”

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is (A), (D) and (E) only.

On February 4, 1916, Mahatma Gandhi gave a historic speech at the opening ceremony of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). His address was a powerful wake-up call to the Indian elite, focusing on the stark contrast between the wealthy and the impoverished masses of India. Below is a detailed analysis of each statement showing why statements (A), (D), and (E) are correct, while (B) and (C) are incorrect:

Statement (A) is correct:
During the address, Gandhiji charged the Indian elite and aristocracy with a deep lack of concern for the laboring poor. He pointed out that while the rich lived in luxury, the millions of peasants and workers who produced the country's wealth were relegated to poverty and neglect.

Statement (B) is incorrect:
Gandhiji was, in fact, deeply concerned and disturbed by the contrast between the "richly bedecked noblemen" attending the ceremony and the millions of poor Indians who could not even afford a proper meal. He openly expressed his discomfort with the display of such immense jewelry and wealth in a country suffering from widespread hunger.

Statement (C) is incorrect:
Gandhiji explicitly rejected the notion that lawyers, doctors, and rich landlords could bring about India's salvation. He stated that true salvation for India could not come through them alone, thereby directly contradicting the claim made in this statement.

Statement (D) is correct:
Gandhiji strongly emphasized that India's salvation lies with its farmers. He remarked, "Our salvation can only come through the farmer. Neither the lawyers, nor the doctors, nor the rich landlords are going to secure it." He firmly believed that the agrarian population formed the real foundation of the nation.

Statement (E) is correct:
Addressing the wealthy princes and privileged invitees who were present in their heavy ornamentation, Gandhiji told them, "Strip yourself of this jewelry and hold it in trust for your countrymen in India." This was an early articulation of his famous "Trusteeship" philosophy, which urged the rich to act as trustees of their wealth for the benefit of the poor.

Therefore, statements (A), (D), and (E) are historically accurate representations of Mahatma Gandhi's speech, making (A), (D) and (E) only the correct choice.