From the Archives (December 21, 1918): Mr. Patel’s Bill.

A meeting convened by over 40 prominent citizens of Poona belonging to all castes was held this afternoon [in Poona on December 20] in Kirloskar Theatre to accord support to the principle in Mr. Patel’s Hindu's Inter-castes Marriage Bill. It was... confined to those who were in favour of the Bill. However it became apparent long before the time of the meeting that the oppositionists had rushed in and occupied nearly the whole theatre. Two days before handbills were circulated... by the oppositionists caricaturing the effect of inter-caste marriages and appealing to Mr. Tilak’s authority in opposition to the Bill. The arrival of conveners of the meeting like the Hon’ble Mr. Paranjpye and Mr. N.C. Kelkar was greeted with continued hisses and it became impossible even to begin the proceedings. Thereupon the meeting was declared dissolved.