Freedom's Battle eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 277 pages of information about Freedom's Battle.

Freedom's Battle eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 277 pages of information about Freedom's Battle.
Titles which were the other day titles of honour are to-day in my opinion badges of our disgrace.  We must therefore surrender all titles of honour, all honorary offices.  It will constitute an emphatic demonstration of the disapproval by the leaders of the people of the acts of the Government.  Lawyers must suspend their practice and must resist the power of the Government which has chosen to flout public opinion.  Nor may we receive instruction from schools controlled by Government and aided by it.  Emptying of the schools will constitute a demonstration of the will of the middle class of India.  It is far better for the nation even to neglect the literary instruction of the children than to co-operate with a Government that has striven to maintain an injustice and untruth on the Khilafat and Punjab matters.  Similarly have I ventured to suggest a complete boycott of reformed councils.  That will be an emphatic declaration of the part of the representatives of the people that they do not desire to associate with the Government so long as the two wrongs continue.  We must equally decline to offer ourselves as recruits for the police or the military.  It is impossible for us to go to Mesopotamia or to offer to police that country or to offer military assistance and to help the Government in that blood guiltiness.  The last plank in the first stage is Swadeshi.  Swadeshi is intended not so much to bring pressure upon the Government as to demonstrate the capacity for sacrifice on the part of the men and women of India.  When one-fourth of India has its religion at stake and when the whole of India has its honour at stake, we can be in no mood to bedeck ourselves with French calico or silks from Japan.  We must resolve to be satisfied with cloth woven by the humble weavers of India in their own cottages out of yarn spun by their sisters in their own homes.  When a hundred years ago our tastes were not debased and we were not lured by all the fineries from the foreign countries, we were satisfied with the cloth produced by the men and women in India, and if I could but in a moment revolutionize the tastes of India and make it return to its original simplicity, I assure you that the Gods would descent to rejoice at the great act of renunciation.  That is the first stage in non-co-operation.  I hope it is as easy for you as it is easy for me to see that if India is capable of taking the first step in anything like a full measure that step will bring the redress we want.  I therefore do not intend to take you to the other stages of non-co-operation.  I would like you to rivet your attention upon the plans in the first stage.  You will have noticed that but two things are necessary in going through the first stage:  (1) Prefect spirit of non-violence is indispensable for non-co-operation, (2) only a little self-sacrifice, I pray to God that He will give the people of India sufficient courage and wisdom and patience to go through this experiment of non-co-operation.  I think you for the great reception that you have given us.  And I also thank you for the great patience and exemplary silence with which you have listened to my remarks.

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Freedom's Battle from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.