Gentlemen, I have just stated it as a necessary condition of the
Hindu-Muslim compromise that the third party, the English, should not be
allowed to step in between us. Otherwise, all our affairs will fall into
disorder. Its best example is before you in the shape of the Mopla
incident. You are probably aware that Hindu India has an open and direct
complaint against the Moplas and an indirect complaint against all of us
that the Moplas are plundering and spoiling their innocent Hindu
neighbours, but probably, you are not aware that the Moplas justify
their action on the ground that at such a critical juncture, when they
are engaged in a war against the English, their neighbours not only do
not help them or observe neutrality, but aid and assist the English in
every possible way. They can, no doubt, contend that, while they are
fighting a defensive war for the sake of their religion and have left
their houses, property and belongings and taken refuge in hills and
jungles, it is unfair to characterise as plunder their commandeering of
money, provisions and other necessaries for their troops from the
English or their supporters. Gentlemen, both are right in their
complaints, but so far as my investigation goes, the cause of this
mutual recrimination can be traced to the interference of the third
party. It happens thus, whenever any English detachment suddenly appears
in the locality and kills or captures the Moplas inhabitants of the
place, rumour somehow spreads in the neighbourhood that the Hindu
inhabitants of the place had invited the English army for their
protection, with the result that after the departure of the English
troops the Moplas or their neighbours do not hesitate to retaliate and
consider the money and other belongings of the Hindus as lawful spoils
of war taken from those who have aided and abetted the enemy. Where no
such events have occurred, the Moplas and Hindus even now live
peacefully side by side, Moplas do not commit any excesses against the
Hindus, while the Hindus do not hesitate in helping the Moplas to the
best of their ability.
A National Parliament.
I have wandered far from my purpose, I meant to emphasise that, in the
first clause dealing with the aims and objects of the League, the word
"Swaraj" should be defined as complete republic. Otherwise, there is a
danger that in the presence of a third party, Self-Government within the
British Empire, instead of being beneficial, might actually prove
injurious. The second amendment necessary is that the methods for the
attainment of Swaraj should be amplified. In the place "peaceful" and
"legitimate" means "possible" and "proper" should be permitted. Thus, on
the one hand, the opportunity of joining the League will be given to
those who do not honestly believe Non-Co-operation alone as the sole
path of salvation, recognising the possibility of other methods and
adopting them also. On the other hand, the amendment will remove the
complaint of those who believe the Non-Co-operation can under no
circumstances, remain peaceful to the last, and while subscribing to the
creed of the Congress and the first clause of the section dealing with
the object of the League as a matter of policy and expediency, refuse to
admit it as a faith for all times and circumstances or to remain
non-violent even in intention.
Gentlemen, there are only two possible means of replacing one Government
by another one, the destruction of the Government by sword and the
establishment of another in its place, a method which has been followed
in the world thus far. The second alternative is to sever all connection
with the present Government, and to set up a better or organised
Government: parallel to it and improve and develop it till the old
order is dissolved and the new takes its place. Friends, to achieve this
object, we must immediately set upon a separate and permanent foundation
our courts, schools, arts, industries, army, police and a national
parliament. Non-violent Non-Co-operation can only help to paralyse the
Government, but cannot maintain it. The question now is, can such a
parallel Government be established only through non-violent
non-co-operation of course, provided the rival Government does not
interfere with its establishment, a condition which is obviously
impossible. The rival Government will certainly interfere. We might
contend that we will proceed on with our work silently and quietly and in
spite of governmental interference as is being done at present. A stage
will, however, be reached ultimately when action on peaceful lines will
absolutely become impossible, and then we will be forced to admit that a
parallel Government can be started, but not continue to the last through
peaceful means.