British officials denied Gandhi’s unpaid Indian volunteer corps even ceremonial chocolate rewards

Evidence

After the war, the British announced that their troops would be given a slab each of “Queen’s Chocolate” as a reward for their bravery. Gandhi wrote a letter to the Colonial Secretary to ask for the largesse to be extended to the Ambulance Corps leaders, who had volunteered without pay: “It will be greatly appreciated by them and prized as a treasure if the terms under which the gift has been graciously made by Her Majesty would allow of its distribution among the Indian leaders.” The Colonial Secretary replied curtly to say that the chocolate was only for non-commissioned officers. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 195

Categorization

• CANDY: A perfect conversational irony: the future leader of Indian independence begged the Crown for chocolate and was snubbed.