I pause for a moment. Do we disagree--we the nationalists of India, do
we disagree from the Viceroy on any question of first principles? I
venture to think, not. What have we done? We have believed the Message
of Hope left to us by His Majesty the King personally--we have believed
that that message will be fulfilled--we have had the declaration of
the British Cabinet in that behalf and we believed that Responsible
Government would be introduced. We have had the message from the Prime
Minister asking for our help and sympathy, asking for help in men and
money. We have told the Government that in order to do this, the
repressive measures must be withdrawn, political prisoners must be set
free and a definite scheme of self-government must be put forward.
What were we trying to do? Were we not trying to give effect to the
message of the British Cabinet? Were we not giving a real response to
the message of the Prime Minister? (Cheers). Why should it be said
that we differ from the Viceroy on questions of first principles. What
are the questions of first principles? It is statements like these
which fill us with suspicion and alarm. Do they want that the King's
Message will for ever remain unfulfilled and unredeemed?--That the
Declaration of the British Parliament will remain a declaration and
nothing but a Declaration to the end of the chapter?--Does it come
to this: that whatever declaration is made the bureaucracy has made
up its mind not to let responsible government be introduced in this
country? What difference in first principles can there be, I ask, when
all our endeavours have been to give effect to the Message of the Prime
Minister?
Then His Excellency goes on to say:
"While they are wrangling over those, while the house is burning, there
are those who would exploit England's difficulty. I believe that these
people gravely misinterpret India's attitude. I am sure that there are
none here who will countenance such a policy. There are those, again,
who would wish to bargain. Again I decline to believe that anyone has
come to this Conference in a huckstering spirit."