Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/71

 M. K. GANDHI 45 has an inconvenient way of urging the leaders really to lead. Accordingly on the lst of August, as he had already announced he led the movement by returning his Kaiser-i hind gold medal to the Viceroy. In returning it he wrote a letter to His Excellency from which we must quote the following sentences :———- " Events that have happened during the past month have confirmed me in the opinion that the Imperial Government have acted in the Khilafat matter in an unscrupulous, immoral, and unjust manner and have been moving from wrong to wrong in order to defend their immorality. I can retain neither resp ect nor affection for such a Government. • lll- ·Pl<· ·JI· Your Exce\lency’s light-hearted treatment of official crime, your exoneration of Sir Michael O’Dwye1·, Mr. Montagu’s des- patch, and above all the shameful ignorance of the Punjab events and callous disregard of the feelings of Indians betrayed by the House of Lords have filled me with the gravest misgiv- ings regarding the future of the Empire, have estranged me com- pletely from the present Government and have disabled me from rendering as I have hitherto-·whole~heartedly tendered, my loyal co-operation. " In my humble opinion the ordinary method of agitating by way of petitions, deputations, and the like is no remedy for moving to repentance a Government so hopelessly indifferent to the welfare of its charge as the Government of India has proved to be. In European countries condonation of such grievous wrongs as the Khilafat and the Punjab would have resulted in a bloody revolution by the people. They would have resisted, at all costs, national emasculation. Half of India ls too weak to offer violent resistance, and the other half is un- willing to do so. I have therefore, ventured to suggest the remedy of N on-Co—operation, which enables those who wish to dissociate themselves from Government, and which, if it is unattended by violence and undertaken in ordered manner, must compel it to retrace its steps and undo the wrongs com- mitted ; but whilst I pursue the policy of N on·Co-operation, in so far as I can carry the people with me, I shall not lose hope that you will yet see your way to do justice, I therefore re- spectfully ask Your Excellency to summon a conference of recognised leaders of the people, and, in consultation with them, to find a way that will gladden Mussulmans and do re- paration to the unhappy Punjab." Soon after, Mr. Gandhi started on an extensive cam- paign preaching N on-Co·opnration to large audiences. In August he came to Madras where he delivered a power-