From Delhi we come to Bengal. There again we have the speech of
His Excellency the Governor. His Excellency advised us--he did not
command--His Excellency advised us that we should stop all political
agitation at the present moment and he gave two reasons for it. One
reason is this:
"Now let me give you my first reason. We have always been slow as a
people, as in Great Britain and India to realise how closely the enemy
keeps his eye upon us how quick he is to note our actions, indeed our
very words, and what a difference it makes to his own morals whether
he sees arrayed against him the serried ranks of a united people or
whether he detects or thinks he detects in this part of the Empire or
in that some note of dissension, some indication of lack of unity of
purpose."
Therefore, do not show that you are wanting in a unity of purpose. I
was thinking what His Excellency really meant because it seems to
me that we are in complete agreement with what His Excellency said.
That is the very reason for which we made the suggestions. Let not the
enemy think that England is not united in its purpose and that India is
not prepared to take its place in the fight. That is the very reason
for which we suggested that all causes which led to resentment of the
people of this country and drew them away from this united purpose
should be removed--that the people of this country should be allowed to
feel that India is their own country, that it is their birthright to
defend their own country, that it is their right, not right alone but
it is their proud privilege to fight the common enemy. His Excellency
said we should do nothing so that the enemy could think that we are not
united. My answer is: Make us united. It can be done with a stroke of
the pen to-morrow if you really want to do it (Hear, Hear). If you do
that, the enemy will detect no lack of unity of purpose. It is possible
to make it appear that there is no lack of unity of purpose.--Is it
not a hundred times more desirable that there should be real unity of
purpose?