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 656 NON-CO-OPERATION

us not be charged with that and let us understand our limitations. Let Hindus and Mussalmans have absolute indissoluble unity. Who is here who can say to-day with confidence, " Yes, Hindu-Muslim unity has become and has become an indissoluble factor of Indian nationalism." Who is here who can tell me that the Parsees and the Sikhs and the Christians and the Jews and the untouchables, about whom you heard this afternoon, who is here, I ask, who will tell me that those very people will not rise against any such idea ?

Think, therefore, fifty times before you take a step which will redound not to your credit, not to your advantage, but which may cause irreparable injury. Let us first of all gather up our strength, let us first of all sound our own depths, but lei us not go into waters whose depths we do not know and this proposition of Mr. Hasrat Mohani lands you to a depth unfathomable. I ask you in all confidence that you will reject that proposition if you believe in the proposition that you passed only an hour ago. The proposition now before you robs away the whole of the effect of the proposition that you passed a moment ago. Are creeds such simple things like clothes which a man can change at will and put on at will ? Creeds are snch for which people live for ages and ages. Are you going to change your cresd which, with all deliberations and after great debates in Nagpur you accepted. There was no limitation of one year when you accepted that creed. It is an extensive creed,. It takes in all the weakest and the strongest and you will deny yourselves the privilege of clothing the weakest among yourselves with protection if you accept .this limited creed of Maulana Hasrat Mohani, which does, not admit the weakest of your brethren. I there- fore ask you in all confidence to reject this proposition.

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