Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/618

 528 NON-CO-OPERATION

and it was when they saw that they could accept the prefer red aid of the Hindus, that they could always justify the cause and the means before the whole world* that they decided to accept the prof erred hand of fellowship. It is then for Hindus and Mahamadans to offer a united front to the whole of the Christaian powers of Europe and tell them that weak as India is. India has still got the capacity oi preserving her self-respect, she still knows ^ow to die for her religion and for her self-respect.

That is the Khilafat in a nut-shell ; but you have also got the Punjab. The Punjab has wounded the heart oi India as no other question has for the past century. I dc not exclude from my calculation the Mutiny of 1857. What- ever hardships India had to suffer during the Mutiny, the insult that was attempted to be offered to her during the passage of the Rowlatt legislation and that which was offer ed af te r its passage were unparalled in Indian history. It is because you want justice from the British nation in connection with the Punjab atrocities you have to devise ways and means as to how you can get this justice* The House of Commons, the House of Lords, Mr. Montagu, the Vicer oy of India, every one of them knows what the feeling of India is on this Khilafat question and on that of the Punjab ; the debates in both the Houses of parliament, the action of Mr. Montagu ar.d that of the Viceroy have demonstrated to you completely that they are not willing to give the justice which is India's due and which she deman ds. I suggest that our leaders have got to find a way but of this great difficulty and unless we have made ourselves even with the British rulers in India and unless we have gained a measure of self-respect at the hands of the British rulers in India, no connection, and no friendly intercourse is possible between them and ourselves. I,

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