Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/179

Rh have no faith in 'Constitutional agitation.' We do not want to over-throw the English Government. Political rights will have to be fought for. The Moderates think that these can be won by persuasion. We think they can only be got by strong pressure. Will the Congress exert itself to apply this pressure? That is the point; and if such a pressure is to be applied, the Congress must leave this holiday character and develop into an organisation working continuously and energetically."

All India anxiously awaited to see how the Calcutta Congress would give its decision on this point. Anglo-India wanted also to see whether the differences of opinion between the Old and the New Parties would lead to open and permanent rupture. They wanted the Extremists to be driven out of the Congress. But this was an impossibility. In the first place, the Presidential Chair was occupied by the Angel of Peace. Besides, Bengal was a strong-hold of the 'Extremists' and in the Congress session the New Party commanded a majority. The Presidential address was devoted to the theme of Swaraj. It, therefore, disappointed the Englishman which blamed Dadabhai who "being called upon to quench the flames of hatred towards the British Rule in India, had only used kerosine for that purpose." Mr. Tilak aided by Babu Bepin Chander Pal organised a private meeting of the Delegates of the New Party to discuss the subjects that the Congress should deal with; and at this meeting it was decided to get the Congress adopt three distinct resolutions on (1) Swadeshi, (2) Boycott (3) and National Education. Of these, the last was passed by the Subjects' Committee without any