{"id":340,"date":"2013-07-13T01:27:25","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=340"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:27:25","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:27:25","slug":"030-the-berhampur-conference-vol-01-bande-mataram-volume-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/01-bande-mataram-volume-01\/030-the-berhampur-conference-vol-01-bande-mataram-volume-01","title":{"rendered":"-030_The Berhampur Conference.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

\n
\nThe
\nBerhampur Conference<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n               
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>T<\/font><\/b><\/span>HE<\/b>
\nConference which meets at Berhampur tomorrow is the most important that has been
\nyet held in Bengal, for its deliberations are fraught with issues of supreme
\nimportance to the future of the country. A heavy responsibility rests upon the
\ndelegates who have been sent to Berhampur from all parts of Bengal. For this is
\nthe first Provincial Conference after the historic twenty-second session of the
\nCongress at Calcutta. At that session the policy of self-development and
\nself-help was incorporated as an integral part of the political programme by the
\nrepresentatives of the whole nation, the policy of passive resistance was
\ndeclared legitimate under circumstances which cover the whole of India, and it
\nwas decided that a constitution or working organisation should be created for
\nthe promotion throughout the year of the programme fixed by the Congress for the
\nwhole nation and by the Provinces for themselves. It rests upon the Berhampur
\nConference to see that proper provision is made for this executive work. We
\nexpect the delegates to realise the seriousness of the task that has been put in
\ntheir hands and to appoint a Provincial Council which will command the
\nconfidence of the whole of Bengal and prove by its very composition that an
\nearnest attempt will be made to harmonise all parties in working out so much of
\nthe national programme as has been assented to by all. Swadeshi, Boycott,
\nNational Education \u2014 these are the three planks upon which all can take their
\nstand. We do not disguise from ourselves the fact that on the last two of these
\nquestions there are very serious differences of opinion between the two schools
\nnow dividing public opinion. In the matter of Boycott, the difference has been
\none of greater or less thoroughness in practice and of the ultimate goal; but
\nthe necessity of Boycott has been recognised by all and there is no reason why
\nany section should refuse to take part in the measures by which it can be made
\neffective. National Education is regarded by one school<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-222<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\nas
\nan educational experiment to be carried on side by side with Government
\neducation, <\/span>
\n\u2014<\/span>
\n<\/span>by the other as a great national cause, the
\nprogress of which is to culminate in a truly national system replacing or
\nabsorbing the Government schools and colleges. Nevertheless, the spread of the
\nmovement has been recognised as desirable by all and there is therefore no
\nreason why measures with that view should not be concerted with general
\napproval. We trust therefore that the delegates at Berhampur will give a mandate
\nto the newly-formed council to organise Swadeshi and Boycott in a practical
\nmanner and devise means by which they can be rendered stringent and effective
\nand to see that national schools be established in every district and national
\nsupport be given to the Council of Education. If they fail to do this, they will
\nhave done considerably less than their duty.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>But the duty of the delegates does not begin and end with arranging for
\nthe execution of the national programme as laid down by the Congress. The
\nCongress deals only with accomplished facts. It set its seal of sanction on
\nNational Education and Swadeshi and legitimised the Boycott for all India in
\nrecognition of work which had already been commenced in Bengal. But there are
\nother fields in which self-development and self-help are urgently necessary; and
\nit remains for each province to initiate action in each of them successively
\naccording to its own circumstances and under the pressure of its own needs. Both
\nthe policy of self-help and the Boycott policy have taken shape as a national
\npolicy in Bengal as a result of the exceptional trend of
\nevents in our province. They are now travelling all over India. Swadeshi has
\nbeen universally recognised, Boycott is a fact in Maharashtra as well as in
\nBengal, and is now being publicly advocated in the North and in Madras. But
\nBengal cannot pause till the rest of India comes up with her, \u2014 she must still
\nlead the way even if it be many miles in front. The very initiative she has
\ntaken will inevitably sweep her on, whether she wills it or not; for that
\nexceptional trend of events which has carried her along is nothing but the
\nimpulsion of a Divine Hand which is shaping through her the way of salvation for
\nall India. That impulsion is not likely to cease; it is already pointing us to
\nfresh departures. Since the Congress met, three new necessities have<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-223<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\npresented
\nthemselves for Bengal, \u2014 the necessity of National Arbitration Courts, the
\nnecessity of Organised Self-protection and the necessity of Prevention of Famine
\nby self-help. The second of these is the one which we should, in our opinion,
\ntake immediately in hand; for it is likely to be urgently needed in the near
\nfuture and in its absence the national movement will remain deficient in the
\nfirst element of strength and its defencelessness will perpetually invite
\nattack. If we are to proceed with the work of the nation in peace, we must
\nimmediately turn our attention to organising self-protection all over Bengal.
\nThe immediate need of the prevention of famine may be met by the suspension of
\ngrain-export of which the Bangabasi <\/i>has made itself the champion; but
\nthis policy will have to be supplemented and regulated by permanent measures of
\na far-reaching kind. At present a Resolution approving of export suspension as a
\ntemporary measure urgently needed, ought to be sufficient. We do not suppose we
\nneed apprehend much difference of opinion on this head. The anti-national
\nsuperstition of free trade ought to have perished out of Bengal by this time;
\nfor a subject nation self-preservation must be the first and dominating
\nprinciple of its political economy. Neither should there be any opposition to
\nthe proposal for Arbitration Courts. Arbitration as a means of diminishing the
\ncurse of litigation has been advocated by the Congress and the only difference
\nnow is that instead of asking for it from an alien Government which fattens upon
\nthe very litigation that impoverishes us, we resolve to establish it for
\nourselves. We fear, however, that there may be serious difficulty in getting the
\nall-important proposal of self-protection accepted. The attitude of the Moderate
\nleaders in the Comilla matter was of evil omen. <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n         We hope nevertheless that the
\ndelegates of the new school will strain every nerve to get these necessary items
\nadded to the working programme for the year. By choosing a place where the New
\nSpirit has not made headway and by fixing a date which will make it difficult
\nfor the East Bengal
\ndelegates to arrive in time, the managers of the Conference will probably have secured
\na large Moderate majority. We are not sorry that this should be so; for it will
\ngive us an opportunity of observing how the advantage gained by this tactical
\ntrickery will be used. The present Confer-<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-<\/font><\/span>224<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\nence
\nwill decide whether the two parties can still hope to work together on the basis
\nof the compromise arrived at in December, or whether, as in Japan, a determined
\nfight for the possession of the national mind and guidance of national action is
\nto precede the great work of emancipation. We shall willingly accept either
\nalternative. If we can work together the work will be more rapid in the
\nbeginning and smoother; if, on the contrary, we have to settle our differences
\nfirst, the work will be more energetic and more rapid in the end. Whatever the
\nresult, the forward party stands to win.<\/font><\/p>\n


\nBande
\nMataram, <\/font> <\/i>March 29, 1907<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-<\/font>225<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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