Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/758

 668 NON-CO-OPERATION

is to rescue? from paralysis freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of Press.

In the present mood of the Government of India and in the present unprepared state of the country in respect of complete control of the forces of violence, Non-Co-operators were unwilling to have anything to do with the Malaviya Conference whose object was to induce. Your Excellency to convene a Round Table Conference. But as I was anxious to avoid all avoid- able suffering, I had no hesitation in advising the Working Committee of the Congress to accept the re- commendations of that Conference.

Although, in my opinion, the terms were quite in keeping with your own requirements, as I understood them through your Calcutta speech and otherwise, you have summarily rejected the proposal.

In the circumstances, there is nothing before the country but to adopt some non-violent method for the enforcement of its demands, including the ele- mentary rights of free speech, free association and free Press. In my humble opinion, the recent events are a clear departure from the civilized policy laid down by Your Excellency at the time of the gener- ous, manly and unconditional apology of the Ali Brothers, viz., that the Government of India should not interfere with the activities of Non-Co-cperation so long as they remained non-violent in word and deed. Had the Government policy remained neutral and allowed public opinion to ripen and have its full effect, it would have been possible to advise postponement of the adoption of Civil Disobedi- ence of an aggressive type till the Congress had acquired fuller control over the forces of violence

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