I have been told that I should have waited for the declaration of the
special Congress which is the mouth piece of the whole nation. I know
that it is the mouthpiece of the whole nation. If it was for me,
individual Gandhi, to wait, I would have waited for eternity. But I had
in my hands a sacred trust. I was advising my Mussalman countrymen and
for the time being I hold their honour in my hands. I dare not ask them
to wait for any verdict but the verdict of their own Conscience. Do you
suppose that Mussalmans can eat their own words, can withdraw from the
honourable position they have taken up? If perchance--and God forbid
that it should happen--the Special Congress decides against them, I
would still advise my countrymen the Mussalmans to stand single handed
and fight rather than yield to the attempted dishonour to their
religion. It is therefore given to the Mussalmans to go to the Congress
on bended knees and plead for support. But support or no support, it was
not possible for them to wait for the Congress to give them the lead.
They had to choose between futile violence, drawing of the naked sword
and peaceful non-violent but effective non-co-operation, and they have
made their choice. I venture further to say to you that if there is any
body of men who feel as I do, the sacred character of non-co-operation,
it is for you and me not to wait for the Congress but to act and to make
it impossible for the Congress to give any other verdict. After all what
is the Congress? The Congress is the collected voice of individuals who
form it, and if the individuals go to the Congress with a united voice,
that will be the verdict you will gain from the Congress. But if we go
to the Congress with no opinion because we have none or because we are
afraid to express it, then naturally we wait the verdict of the
Congress. To those who are unable to make up their mind I say by all
means wait. But for those who have seen the clear light as they see the
lights in front of them, for them to wait is a sin. The Congress does
not expect you to wait but it expects you to act so that the Congress
can gauge properly the national feeling. So much for the Congress.