On November 5, 1946, Mahatma Gandhi made a powerful moral intervention during one of pre-Independence India’s darkest moments — the Bihar communal riots. In the wake of violent clashes between Hindu and Muslim communities, Gandhi declared that he would begin a fast-unto-death if the killings did not cease within 24 hours. His warning came after weeks of brutality triggered by the Noakhali massacres in Bengal, where retaliatory violence had spread rapidly across eastern India.

According to The Hindu and historical archives cited by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Gandhi’s announcement immediately galvanized local leaders and volunteers to restore peace. The British administration, already struggling to contain unrest, credited his moral authority with helping defuse tensions and prevent further bloodshed.

Gandhi’s stand on November 5 remains a powerful reminder of how nonviolence could confront even the most divisive social chaos. It also foreshadowed the immense challenge India would face in preserving communal harmony as it moved toward independence in 1947.