Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/193

 disapproval from the members of the Reception Committee on the platform and the cry was taken up by other Moderates. Mr. Tilak repeatedly insisted upon his right of addressing the delegates and told Dr. Ghose when he attempted to interfere that he was not properly elected. Mr. Malvi said that he had ruled Mr. Tilak'samendmentoutof order, to which Mr. Tilak replied that the ruling, if any, was wrong and that he had a right to appeal to the delegates on the same. By this time, there was a general uproar in the Pandal, the Moderates shouting at Mr. Tilak and asking him to sit down, and the Nationalists demanding that he should be heard. At this stage, Dr. Ghose and Mr. Malvi said that Mr. Tilak should be removed from the platform ; and a young gentleman holding the important office of a Secretary to the Reception Committee touched Mr. Tilak 's person with a view to carry out the Chairman's order. Mr. Tilak pushed the gentleman aside and again asserted his right of being heard, declaring that he would not leave the platform, unless bodil}' removed. At this stage, Mr. Gokliale asked the above-mentioned gentleman not to touch Mr. Tilak's person. But there were others who were seen threatening an assault on his person, though he was calmly standing on the platform facing the delegates with his arms folded over his chest.

It was during this confusion that a shoe, hurled on to the platform hit Sir P. M. Mehta on the side of his face after touching Babu Surendranath Banerjea, both of whom were sitting within a yard of Mr. Tilak on the other side of the table. Chairs were now seen being lifted to be thrown at Mr. Tilak by persons on and