I believe in revolutions, but I repeat, violence defeats freedom. The
revolution of non-violence is slower but surer. Step by step the soul of
the nation emerges and step by step the nation marches on in the path of
Swaraj. The only method by which Freedom can be attained in India at any
rate, is the method of non-violent non-co-operation. Those who believe
this method to be impracticable would do well to ponder over the Akali
movement. When I saw the injuries of the wounded at Amritsar and heard
from their lips that not one of them had even wished to meet violence by
violence, in spite of such grave provocation, I said to myself, "here was
the triumph of non-violence."
Non-violence is not an idle dream. It was not in vain that Mahatma
declared, "put up thy sword into the sheath." Let those who are "of the
truth" hear his voice as those others heard a mightier voice two thousand
years ago.
The attempt of the Indian nation to attain Swaraj by this method was,
however, met by severe repression. The time has come for us to estimate
our success as well as our failure. So far as repression is concerned, it
is easy to answer the question. I have not the least doubt in my mind that
the nation has triumphed over the repression which was started and
continued to kill the soul of the movement.