Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/259

 worked hard to accomplish the Hindu-Moslem Unity, it may be said that Mr. Tilak's foresight and generosity in substantially conceding many of the demands of the Mahomedans gratified them beyond all measure. They had been taught to believe that Mr. Tilak was anti- Mahomedan, that in the Hindu-Moselm controversies of 1893-94 he had been unfriendly to them and that his Shivaji and Ganapati festivals were instituted with the sole object of irritating their community. They were, therefore, doubly glad to find that Mr. Tilak was in favour of an enormously big percentage of repre- sentation to the Mahomedans in the Legislative Coun- cils. To those of his more theoretical and hence less compromising brethren who looked with alarm at these concessions, Mr. Tilak said : -

"It has been said that we, Hindus have yielded too

much to our Mahomedan brethren. I am sure, I re- present the sense of the Hindu community all over India, when I say that we could not have yielded too much. I would not care if the rights of Salf-Govern- ment are granted to the Mahomedan Community only. I would not care if they are granted to the Rajputs. I would not care if they are granted to the lower classes of the Hindu population. Then the fight will not be triangular as, at present, it is."

This is the language, not only of magnanimity but of statesmanship also. By making this concession, Mr^ Tilak successfully accomplished his object entertained ever since his return from Mandalay of winning over the Muslims. Influences were at work to keep the Mahomedans away from the Hindus ; for Sir James Meston had publicly advised them to place communal