-120_The Slaying of Congress.htm

A c t  O n e

S C E N E  I

Calcutta.

Dadabhai, Mehta, Gokhale, Surendra, Tilak and others; Democracy, Congress.

                 DADABHAI

Much have I laboured, toiled for many years
To see this glorious day. Our Lady Congress
Grown to a fair and perfect womanhood,
Who at Benares came of age, is now
With pomp and noble ceremony arrived
In this Calcutta to assume the charge
Of her own life into her proper hands.
Mehta and Gokhale, Tilak, Suren, all,
Our anxious years of guardianship are ended.
Only is left to tell our lovely ward
The name, dimensions and exact extent
Of her estate which now in alien hands
She must recover — Swaraj is the name
And the dimensions wide as all this Hind.

            CONGRESS

I thank you all, and swear to win Swaraj
Back from the hands that keep me from my own.

             MEHTA

I like this not. If once this girl escapes
From my supreme control, I fear that she
Will run quite wild. Look with what covert eyes
She gazes at this young Democracy,
This roistering, robustious young Democracy.
A crew of plotters seek to push us out
From our established seats, Lal, Pal and Tilak,

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Extremists babbling frantic heresies,
Boycott, Swadeshi, National Control.
This scatter-brained, unripe Democracy
Goes shouting at their heels and they intend
To wed young Congress to Democracy.
But I am here to baulk their fell designs
With all Bombay behind: Gokhale, be firm;
Aiyer and Malaviya, be ready, friends,
When I shall give the word, at once to speak
Lest mischief brewing with a perilous haste
Prevent us.

             DADABHAI

                Now much dispute there is of late
About the means, whether to take a course
Stout and bold and by heroic war
Win Swaraj from the usurper's mighty hands
Or yet once more to his great throne repair
And sue for Swaraj. Yet I do believe
That in her heart of hearts Britain is just
And will allow our plaint. Once more then try

The ancient way. And if it fail, let then
Defiance be declared and war begin.

             PAL

Defiance need not wait on your beliefs:
Bengal already with a trumpet voice
Declares defiance and her youthful sons
Banding to win Swaraj prepare their souls
To bear imprisonment, blows, stripes and bonds
Rather than bow again at the tribunal
Of British justice.

             TILAK

                   Let this dispute be settled
By a just compromise, and while you bow
Before the throne we in Bengal, Punjab
And Maharashtra will at our own risk

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Declare the boycott. Only we desire
Permission and the gracious word should fall
From Lady Congress here that bids us war
For her just rights withheld. Swadeshi, Boycott
And Education under National Control,
Swaraj, these lour allow, the rest we yield.

             MEHTA
These four shall not be given.

             MALAVIYA
 

                                              Not one, not one.

             AIYAR
Who dare give these, Madras refusing?

             GOKHALE
                                                             Something
May be allowed, but not the whole demand.

             DEMOCRACY

My voice is for the four, and when my voice
Declares my will, there's not a man in Hind
Whose will outweighs my voice.

             MEHTA
                                                    I quite forbid it.

             DEMOCRACY

Who art thou to forbid?

             MEHTA
                                                    Pherozshah I.
 
            DEMOCRACY

Pherozshah, no Pherozshahs. I stand here
And claim the sovereignty which is my right.

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        MEHTA
Mehta I am who rule with absolute sway
The Corporation.

        DEMOCRACY

                           There then give commands.
This is Calcutta where I am arisen
And let no man dispute my will.

        AIYAR

                                                 I speak
For all Madras.

       CRIES
                         No, no!

       MALAVIYA

                                                                I for the North.

       CRIES

We quite deny it.

       MEHTA

                          This is a public place,
Let us withdraw.

       DEMOCRACY

                           My rights are not for thee
To settle; let Tilak, Gokhale and the rest
Confer together; and their just award
Shall bind this Congress.

       CONGRESS
                                       I agree.

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S C E N E  I I

The same.
Mehta, Gokhale, Aiyar and others.

 
        MEHTA
So it is settled? Gokhale, thou art weak.

        GOKHALE
How else can this dispute be brought to end?

 
        AIYAR
By vote.

        GOKHALE
             That would be shameful in the view
Of all the world.

        MEHTA
                          What care I for the world?
Mehta is Mehta whose unquestioned will
Must be supreme.

         AIYAR
                             And Aiyar says the same.

 
         MEHTA
Now for the future. To amend our fault
We will take the Congress to some far retreat
Impregnable where we can do our will,
Binding her hand and foot, and close immure
From clamorous Democracy; what else
Must be resolved, in Bombay let it be.

         GOKHALE
There is the great Committee which will be
A tool to do our will.

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         MEHTA

                                  See that it meets
Not in a public place but in our house.
Let it be secret so that we may plot,
Not rudely censored by the public voice,
In calm security.

          AIYAR

                          Then at Madras
Let Congress have her seat.

         GOKHALE

                                            No, at Nagpore
Where all is quiet, and Democracy
Can find no entrance, we shall sit at ease
Nor anyone shall question what we do.

          MEHTA

It shall be Nagpore.

          ALL

                               Nagpore let it be.

S C E N E  I I I

Bombay.
Gokhale solus.

          GOKHALE
What shall I do? Mehta's inexorable
And bent on blood. If I dispute his will
What footing will I have in all Hind? Tilak
Calls me, but him I too completely hate
To take his hand. Distrust between us stands,
No friendship possible; Mehta's support

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I hold quite indispensable, so must
Obey him wholly. If I take my course
Who will support me in my journeys hence
To plead at Britain's throne for India's good?
And if I do not plead at Britain's throne,
How shall poor India fare? But my heart bleeds
For Congress. Must I slay her whom I love?
No, no, there's yet some chance of saving her
From her own predilection for the love
Of wild Democracy. I will invent
A constitution forged with deftest skill
Which so shall bind her that she cannot stir
One inch from her accustomed chair of ease.

                                                                            Enter Mehta.

          MEHTA

Well, Gokhale, have you thought the project over?

          GOKHALE

I have. But let not our accustomed hands
Be stained with innocent blood. Although Nagpore
Is now the home of wild Democracy,
Are there not other places in the land
Where we are safe? Surat is thine, and we
Shall carry Congress there and bind her fast,
Not interfered with. Make a constitution
Most cunningly devised to fasten down
Congress to her accustomed chair of ease.
Democracy shall be shut out from her.
Moti, Pal, Tilak, Lajpat, Aswini
May plague their heads but find no remedy.

          MEHTA

But if you fail?

          GOKHALE

                      I shall not fail.

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          MEHTA
                                                  Well, then,
Do what you can.

           GOKHALE
                             I haste to see it done.

                                                                                                Exit.

           MEHTA
You are too foolish, hesitating, weak,
I will persist but will not let you know
What I intend. Surat is full of men
Bound to my will and they shall do the deed.
What then can Gokhale do? He must submit.
Suren, I can win over or deceive.
But when I have slain Congress, I will choose
Some other ward to take her place who will
Be subject to me. I will set her up
In Congress' place and give her the estate.
For Britain's might will stand behind me then
Unwitnessed. Let me then be quick, prepare
Murder and make the dagger sharp. Congress,
I reared thee up but thou, ungrateful fool,
Rebelst and choosest vain Democracy
To be thy lord. Rather than let thee wed
The protégé of Tilak, Lal and Pal,
I will put an end to thee. Mehta endures
No rival near his throne nor will he bow
This haughty head to vile Democracy.

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S C E N E  I V

Bombay.

Mehta, Gokhale, Tilak, Aiyar, Nagpore and others.

           MEHTA
Once more we meet. What else but to decide
Whether we choose Nagpore for the abode
Of Congress or to change her mighty seat
To Surat or Madras.

           TILAK
                                 Nagpore, I say.

           GOKHALE
Nagpore has forfeited her right.

           AIYAR
                                                   Madras
Shall take the place left vacant by Nagpore.

            MEHTA
Surat is first to make the offer.

            AIYAR
                                               No,
Madras. I claim priority.

            GOKHALE
                                     Aiyar,
Art thou so sure that thou art quite supreme?

             AIYAR
Some few dispute it.

            GOKHALE
                                Surat's quite sure. She is
Impenetrable.

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             MEHTA
                    Surat then let it be.

             NAGPORE
My lords, I know not by what dire offence
I lose my right, but this permit me say, —
“Whatever sin committed bars my right
I will atone. Let not my name be stained.”

             MEHTA
Who gave thee right of entrance? Out! out! out!

             TILAK
I called her.

             MEHTA
                 When Congress weds thy ward, be king.
But I am now supreme; go from this place!

            NAGPORE
But bear me.

             MEHTA
                   No.

             NAGPORE
                        Let me beseech thee, hear me.

             MEHTA
Get out, get out. Ho! Servants. Watch, Gokhale,
Turn out this wench.

            NAGPORE
                              Mehta, I will not here brawl
With thee.

                                                                                                Exit.

            TILAK
                This was not well nor wisely done.

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            MEHTA
I need not thy advice. Let us decide.
Surat is here.

            TILAK
                     Where Nagpore is excluded
What right has Surat to be heard?

            MEHTA
                                                     My will.
Surat, come in.

                                                                                                Enter Surat.

            TILAK
                         Sirs, we protest.

            GOKHALE
                                                    Well, then,
Let Surat speak.

             SURAT
                           I am prepared, my lords,
To bear the expenses of the three days' sojourn
Of Congress all unhelped. Let me have hearing.

             GOKHALE
Mehta will judge.

             TILAK
                            Surat, hast thou consent
Of all thy people?

             MEHTA
                            Who gave thee our ward?
I am the lord of Congress and decree
Surat shall be her seat.

             TILAK
                                   We still protest.

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            MEHTA
Protest, but Surat is decided on.
It is settled. Let us go.

                                                                                                Exeunt.

A c t  T w o

S C E N E  I

Poona.

Tilak, A Friend.

 
            TILAK
My friends are full of wrath and mean revolt,
But in my view this would be utter madness:
For if we hope to wed our Lady Congress
To bold Democracy, what better plan
Than to bear all with firm but patient love
And let proud Mehta make himself obnoxious
To every honourable man? Therefore
Let Nagpore now submit. But if he purpose
Betrayal, we shall raise so wild a storm
Of opposition that his friends shall fear
And leave him to himself. Go, friend, and speak
To Moti of these things, request his aid
To keep Bengal united. If Bengal
Make common cause then shall proud Mehta find
Congress too strongly hedged with friendly spears
For his vile plots to injure her.

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S C E N E  I I

Bombay.

Mehta, Gokhale.

           GOKHALE

Mehta, all's ready.


            MEHTA

                              Make everything so sure,
That Tilak shall be utterly undone.
We must not suffer Boycott to be made
Part of our programme.

             GOKHALE
                                     To omit it quite
Is hardly possible. The fierce revolt
Of all Bengal will shake us from our seats
And give control into the hands of those
Who favour wild Democracy. I mean
To juggle skilfully with all the four:
Swadeshi, Boycott, Education National,
Swaraj. With Congress bound, we can explain
Whatever we have done in such a light
As to keep Britain pleased.

             MEHTA

                                           But when 'tis known
What you have done, what will the people say?

             GOKHALE

What, Mehta fears the people? When we speak,
Will not the mob accept our princely word?

             MEHTA

So be it. Well, Gokhale, thou art full of guile
Which makes thee useful; but thy courage, friend,
Too flimsy to support the smallest strain.
Who's there?

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              A SERVANT

                    What's it, my lord?

              MEHTA

                                                 Call in the man
Who waits outside. My mind is full of spite,
Murderous and fell, it will not be at rest
Until I have revenged myself by blood.
What will the fate be of Democracy
When Congress falls? The bold uproarious youth
Is of his strength so proud he cannot feel
That 'tis my strength protects him from the wrath
Of Britain. When she's dead, all ties are snapped
And he, grown beggared of our help, is left
To the fierce persecution of the king.
Then I shall be avenged for the insolence
He showed me at Calcutta in his den.

                                                                        Enter a Surat Moderate.

             MEHTA

Well, are you resolute?

             SURAT MODERATE

                                   We are.

             MEHTA
                                                 Is all
Made ready?

             SURAT MODERATE

                                It is. We have secured the aid
Of many ruffians from the Tapti's banks
Who for a hire will slay their mothers, wives
Or sons.

             MEHTA

              Be sure of them.

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