The British felt that a visit to India by the Prince of Wales would bring about calm, but it did not yield the expected result. The Congress gave a call to boycott the Prince’s visit. 

Wherever the Prince went, he was able to see only black flags and boycotts. In Bombay there were some untoward events in connection with the boycott there and it resulted in some communal clashes. 

Gandhi was sad and disappointed about the violence and unrest that was catching on. He was in confusion and on prayer. And typical of him, he launched another spell of his fasting, this time for three days. He called it off only after peace was restored to the city of Bombay.

When the Prince of Wales reached Calcutta, he was received by a deserted city. The boycott was a complete success and the Government was at its wit’s end. But a decision was taken to suppress the agitations and revolts come what might. 

‘Gandhi Cap’ and Khaki clothes marked the enemies of the Government and such Indian people were all beaten up and arrested. Prisons were overflowing with the large numbers of India’s peaceful soldiers of freedom. Outside the jails, too, there were several more thousands preparing to court arrest.