After the forgoing was printed the long-expected peace terms regarding
Turkey were received. In my humble opinion they are humiliating to the
Supreme Council, to the British ministers, and if as a Hindu with deep
reverence for Christianity I may say so, a denial of Christ's teachings.
Turkey broken down and torn with dissentions within may submit to the
arrogant disposal of herself, and Indian Mahomedans may out of fear do
likewise. Hindus out of fear, apathy or want of appreciation of the
situation, may refuse to help their Mahomedan brethren in their hour of
peril. The fact remains that a solemn promise of the Prime Minister of
England has been wantonly broken. I will say nothing about President
Wilson's fourteen points, for they seem now to be entirely forgotten as
a day's wonder. It is a matter of deep sorrow that the Government of
India _communique_ offers a defence of the terms, calls them a
fulfilment of Mr. Lloyd George's pledge of 5th January 1918 and yet
apologises for their defective nature and appeals to the Mahomedans of
India as if to mock them that they would accept the terms with quiet
resignation. The mask that veils the hypocrisy is too thin to deceive
anybody. It would have been dignified if the _communique_ had boldly
admitted Mr. Lloyd George's mistake in having made the promise referred
to. As it is, the claim of fulfilment of the promise only adds to the
irritation caused by its glaring breach. What is the use of the Viceroy
saying, "The question of the Khilafat is one for the Mahomedans and
Mahomedans only and that with their free choice in the matter Government
have no desire to interfere," while the Khalif's dominions are
ruthlessly dismembered, his control of the Holy places of Islam
shamelessly taken away from him and he himself reduced to utter
impotence in his own palace which can no longer be called a palace but
which can he more fitly described us a prison? No wonder, His Excellency
fears that the peace includes "terms which must be painful to all
Moslems." Why should he insult Muslim intelligence by sending the
Mussalmans of India a of encouragement and sympathy? Are they expected
to find encouragement in the cruel recital of the arrogant terms or in a
remembrance of 'the splendid response' made by them to the call of the
King 'in the day of the Empire's need.' It ill becomes His Excellency to
talk of the triumph of those ideals of justice and humanity for which
the Allies fought. Indeed, the terms of the so called peace with Turkey
if they are to last, will be a monument of human arrogance and man-made
injustice. To attempt to crush the spirit of a brave and gallant race,
because it has lost in the fortunes of war, is a triumph not of humanity
but a demonstration of inhumanity. And if Turkey enjoyed the closest
ties of friendship with Great Britain before the war, Great Britain has
certainly made ample reparation for her mistake by having made the
largest contribution to the humiliation of Turkey. It is insufferable
therefore when the Viceroy feels confident that with the conclusion of
this new treaty that friendship will quickly take life again and a
Turkey regenerate full of hope and strength, will stand forth in the
future as in the past a pillar of the Islamic faith. The Viceregal
message audaciously concludes, "This thought will I trust strengthen you
to accept the peace terms with resignation, courage and fortitude and to
keep your loyalty towards the Crown bright and untarnished as it has
been for so many generations." If Muslim loyalty remains untarnished it
will certainly not be for want of effort on the part of the Government
of India to put the heaviest strain upon it, but it will remain so
because the Mahomedans realise their own strength--the strength in the
knowledge that their cause is just and that they have got the power to
vindicate justice in spite of the aberration suffered by Great Britain
under a Prime Minister whom continued power has made as reckless in
making promises as in breaking them.
Whilst therefore I admit that there is nothing either in the peace terms
or in the Viceregal message covering them to inspire the Mahomedans and
Indians in general with confidence or hope, I venture to suggest that
there is no cause for despair and anger. Now is the time for Mahomedans
to retain absolute self-control, to unite their forces and, weak though
they are, with firm faith in God to carry on the struggle with redoubled
vigour till justice is done. If India--both Hindu and Mahomedan--can act
as one man and can withdraw her partnership in this crime against
humanity which the peace terms represent, she will soon secure a
revision of the treaty and give herself and the Empire at least, if not
the world, a lasting peace. There is no doubt that the struggle would be
bitter sharp and possibly prolonged, but it is worth all the sacrifice
that it is likely to call forth. Both the Mussalmans and the Hindus are
on their trial. Is the humiliation of the Khilafat a matter of concern
to the former? And if it is, are they prepared to exercise restraint,
religiously refrain from violence and practise non-co-operation without
counting the material loss it may entail upon the community? Do the
Hindus honestly feel for their Mahomedan brethren to the extent of
sharing their sufferings to the fullest extent? The answer to these
questions and not the peace terms, will finally decide the fate of
the Khilafat.