Now, they say, well, it is only a few of you educated people who will
exercise the franchise, How can you represent the country? You will be
only an oligarchy. The Government, instead of being in the hands of the
bureaucracy, will be transferred into the hands of an oligarchy--of
another bureaucracy. My answer to that is that we do not want that.
I ask you particularly to consider that question, gentlemen, and to
realise its importance. My answer to them is that we do not want it.
We want the franchise to be extended far and wide--we want our ryots
and our cultivators to enjoy that franchise. We want them to exercise
their franchise. It is against our self-interest but we want that it
should be done because after all the difference between those who are
against the granting of Home Rule to this country and ourselves is
this: bureaucracy is against it because the granting of Home Rule means
death to the bureaucracy. The Europeans, the Anglo-Indian merchants in
Calcutta are against it because it is against their interest, because
they thrive well under the protecting shelter of this bureaucracy.
Our personal interest also lies in not getting the franchise extended
all over the country--but rather in keeping it confined within the
educated community, an insignificant portion of the Mahomedan community
and an equally insignificant portion of the Hindu community, a few
Brahmins, Baidyas and Kayesthas. If you grant franchise to all the
people of this country where shall we be? In saying this I remember a
conversation I had with an old friend of mine who shall be nameless.
This gentleman said to me, well, if you get Home Rule, what does it
mean? It means that the common people of this country will have a
voice--it means they will have power and we, Brahmins, Baidyas and
Kayesthas, where shall we go? I said to him in answer that they will go
to a very hot place where they deserve to go. Gentlemen, I want you to
realise this.