Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/732

 REPLY TO LORD RONALDSHAY

[The hartal organised by non-co-operators in connection with the Prince's visit was more or less successful in many places. It was alleged that by intimidation and otherwise, the hartal in Calcutta 0:1 the day of the Prince's landing in Bombay was pheno- menally complete. The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and the Anglo-Indian press took an alarmist view of the situation and ex- pressed grave indignation against the passivity of the Government. With a view to suppress the activity of the Congress in this direc- tion Government resuscitated part II of the Criminal Law Amend- ment Act which was then literally under a sentence of death. When volunteering was declared unlawful Congress leaders took up the challenge and called on the people to disobey the order and seek imprisonment in their thousands. Men like Messrs C. R Das in Calcutta and Motilal Nehru in Allahabad openly defied the order and canvassed volunteers in total disregard of legal consequences. They sought imprisonment and called on their countrymen to follow them to prison. The situation was grave. It was then that Pandit Madan Mohan Malavya, Sir P. C. Ray and others thought that the time had come when they should step into the breach and try to bring about a reconciliation between Government and non- co-operators. With this view Pandit Madan Mohan and others interviewed leading non-co-operators and those in authority. Lord Ronaldshay, in his speech at the Legislative Council referred to the gravity of the situation and defined the firm attitude of Government. Replying to His Excellency, Mr. Gandhi made the following statement on the 21st December, 1921.]

I have read Lord Ronaldshay's speech in the Bengal Legislative Council. Whilst I appreciate the note of conciliation about it, I cannot help saying that it is most misleading* I do not want to criticise those parts of the speech which lend themselves to criticism. I simply want to say that the present situation is entire- ty his own and the Viceroy's doing. In spite of mi?

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