Tilak and Agarkar were very close friends since their college days. They were both reformists and the political activists as well.
But later they began to hold divergent views on basic issues. Agarkar thought that in India social reforms were more necessary than political freedom activities. Tilak differed on that point. He was of the view that political freedom of India was prime necessity. He also stood for the social reforms but was not in favour of making it the primary concern. And he thought that social reforms would automatically follow the political independence.
The journals ‘Kesari’ and ‘Maratha’ were being managed by them as separate charges. The ‘Kesari’ was in the charge of Bal Gangadhar Tilak while ‘Maratha’ was being prepared and edited by Agarkar.
At several occasions the weeklies published contradictory articles on a particular issue. Thus, their differences became known to all. The distance increased as the time went by and each one of them hardened his respective attitude.
Then, Bal Gangadhar Tilak accused that New English Schools and Ferguson College run by the ‘Deccan Education Society’ had been diverted from its original mission of selfless service to the society in the field of education. He claimed that it was now a money making mission to satisfy the greedy elements of the Society.
It enraged the members of the Deccan Society. Agarkar stopped talking to Tilak. Other members also severely criticized the accusations of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Even Gopal Krishna Gokhale was pained at the remarks of Tilak. Now it became very difficult for Tilak to stay in the Deccan Society
He resigned from the Deccan Society in a huff.
He refused to attend the meetings of the society even as a guest. Tilak took over the charge of both the weeklies ‘Kesari’ and ‘Maratha’. He dedicated himself totally to those magazines and carried his political campaigns through them as a Congressman and a pure politician-journalist.
The disassociation of Tilak made little difference to the work and the mission of New English School and Deccan Education Society. Reknowned scholars like R.P. Paranjpe and R.D. Ranade were looking after the works of the Deccan Society and it continued to make progress and prosper academically. The organisation educated thousands of youngmen and women who went on to man freedom struggle of India in a big big way. Every prominent person of Maharashtra wanted to be associated with the Deccan Society in some way or the other as it enhanced their value.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale remained with the society for full fifteen years during which he wrote for ‘Maratha’ and worked for ‘Kesari’ in compiling news or editing. When Agarkar brought out ‘Sudharak’ news magazine, Gokhale took charge of its English wing and edition.
In 1886-87 Gokhale wrote an article titled ‘General War in Europe’ which was much debated about and appreciated. During that period Ward Rayi was the governor of Bombay who adopted a discriminatory policy. Gokhale castigated his policy in the article captioned ‘Shame Shame by Lord Shame’. It was sharply critical of the governor. Still the governor admired the article sportingly and became life member of the magazine.
Just like today the journalism was the counterfoil of the politics. Every politician tried to gain support of some newspaper or the magazine. Or a politician would bring out a journal to further his political agenda. When Gokhale had met Ranade, the later was the editor of a trimonthly periodical.
Gokhale’s wife suffering from the leprosy had made him a virtual widower remained on the sick bed. The family pressed him to remarry. Gopal Krishna Gokhale resisted. He thought it unethical to betray or forsake his legally wedded wife. His conscious would not allow it.
The family kept up pressure and got his wife to agree to the second marriage. He yielded and got remarried in 1887.
But the second wife too brought little joy to him and it did not last long. She gave birth to a son who lived only for a few days. Then, she too passed away.
The first wife had already perished or had gone away.
Gokhale’s life had become barren when he was only 34 years old.
To fill the marital chasm of his life Gokhale had completely dedicated himself to his profession and the social activities.
More responsibilities
Gopal Krishna Gokhale served as a senior member of ‘Deccan Education Society’ till 1895. All his earlier patrons or associates had either left the body or had died or retired. He was under pressure to assume the charge of the Ferguson College as its principal.
But Gokhale politely refused to succumb to the pressure.
The responsibilities towards his social commitments had increased he could not shy away from. The job of principal was a full time responsibility. It brooked no compromise. Gokhale was too honest a person to cheat on the duties. He also realised that the offer of the principalship was more to keep him associated with the college rather than any dire need. Hence, he agreed when he was offered the post of vice-dean.
After his assumption of the office, the college began to be administered at his advice. For some time he had served as a minister in the Deccan Education Society. It was a tricky task but he ably played his role with considerable success.
For the funds to execute the social works Gokhale had to go from one rich man to another seeking donations. The prospective donors had to be milked through persuasion as they always wanted to be on the right side of the rulers whose displeasure they could ill afford.
However good work a social organisation would be doing no businessman would donate money to it if the government did not approve of it. So, he had to be very careful so as not to antagonize the administration and keep the businessmen happy to have donations coming in.
The policies too underwent gradual change to be on the safe side by making compromises. The founder of the college Chiploonkar used to say that he won’t allow any Englishman enter the college premises. Yet only four years after his death the college changed its name to carry the name of an English Governor. Shortly later, an Englishman was offered the post of a professor by the college. Gokhale disapproved the move.
Later, an Englishman Principal Salby was elected the president of the Deccan Education Society. Gokhale did not like it at all. But he knew that it was imperative to keep the organisation alive which was in financial doldrums. The compromise was for the survival. It worked and the government sanctioned grant to the society which revived it.
Gokhale was an honest and upright man. He had no ill will for anyone. Generally the upright man are impolite but Gokhale had the great capacity to keep everyone satisfied and happy.
He served as an active member of the Senate of Bombay University for several years.
He was of the firm opinion that Senates should be kept free of the politics. The government also agreed to it in principle but interfered in some way or the other nevertheless. Gokhale kept up his drive against this unwarranted interference. The government had to yield in the end.
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