{"id":371,"date":"2013-07-13T01:27:36","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=371"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:27:36","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:27:36","slug":"024-the-coming-congress-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\/024-the-coming-congress-vol-01-bande-mataram-volume-01","title":{"rendered":"-024_The Coming Congress.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

\n
\nThe
\nComing Congress<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n               
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>W<\/font><\/b><\/span>ITH<\/b>
\nthe usual practice of frail humanity to give a dog a bad name, and then hang
\nhim, some of our up-country contemporaries, of the so-called Moderate Party,
\nhave been trying to make it out that the New Party is responsible for all the
\nsins of omission and commission that are found in this part of the country in
\nregard to the work of the coming session of the Congress. A Reception Committee
\nwas organised many months ago, but no meeting of it has as yet been held, and
\nthe New Party must be responsible for it, even if it be a fact that not one of
\nthe Secretaries of the Committee, who alone are competent to convene a meeting
\nof that body, belongs to their ranks. The Executive Committee of the Reception
\nCommittee have not yet been elected, and who must be blamed for this except the
\ndreadful Extremists? The work of the Congress, the construction of the Pandal,
\nthe raising of funds, and a thousand other things upon which the success of the
\nshow will depend, and which require timely preparation, have not yet been taken
\nin hand; and for this also, these mischievous men are responsible. This is the
\nsummary verdict of our honourable friends both here and elsewhere.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n        And
\nin one sense, and only in one, they are right. The difficulty is due to us, \u2014
\nto our presence in the country, even though it may not be to our interference or
\nobstruction. The old leaders would like to do everything according to their
\nsweet will and pleasure, outraging at every point whatever constitution the
\nCongress has. But the New Party will not be likely to permit these autocratic
\nways even in the Congress; and that is the difficulty. The Executive Committee
\nhas not been formed because of the fear lest any strong complement of these
\n"Extremists" should get in there. No meeting of the Reception
\nCommittee has been called, lest the New Party get a chance of having their views
\nand ideas inconveniently impressed upon the sacred functions of the Congress.
\nThey are not <\/i>wanted: but they cannot<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-191<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\nby
\na mere pious wish, be got rid of either. Hence all this trouble.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>And this being so, what, we ask, would the Hindu <\/i>or the
\nMadras Standard<\/i>, <\/i>or even the Indian Mirror <\/i>want us to do? Do our
\ncontemporaries want us to commit hara-kiri <\/i>so that their Moderate friends
\nmight be in undisputed possession of the Congress and arrange its work and
\nprogramme, in accordance with their sweet will and pleasure? They might consider
\nthis act of suicide on our part as a noble sacrifice for the country’s cause.
\nBut we have not, unfortunately, risen as yet to that height of theosophic unity,
\nwhere Babus Bhupendranath and Surendranath might symbolise Bengal, Messrs. Mehta
\nand Watcha Bombay, and about half a dozen Moderates and Loyal Patriots India.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>The fact, really, is that not the New Party but the old one is
\nresponsible for the confusion in which Congress-matters seem to stand just now
\nin Calcutta. All that we want is that the constitution of the Congress, its
\nunwritten laws and traditions, should be faithfully observed and obeyed. If this
\nis done, there will be no difficulty, even if we should fail to carry our
\nparticular views or programme through the Reception Committee. We have
\nrepeatedly said this from the press and the platform alike. But some people have
\na wonderful knack of not understanding things that place them in awkward
\npositions.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>The Madras Standard <\/i>does us scant justice when it puts into our
\nmouth that "if any man of whose nomination to the Congress Presidency"
\nwe "cannot approve is chosen for the office," our Party will signify
\n"their disapproval of the same in the form of an amendment to the
\nresolution formally voting the President to the chair." This is not our
\nposition. Whomsoever the Reception Committee may, in consultation with the
\nCongress Committees of the other presidencies, where such Committees really
\nexist, elect, will be accepted by us, if the election is properly and
\nconstitutionally made. If, however, any attempt is made to spring an
\nAnglo-Indian or British President on the Reception Committee at the last moment,
\nand the nomination is carried by any coup d\u2019\u00e9<\/font>tat<\/i>, <\/i>then, we shall have to reserve to
\nourselves the right of moving an amendment, upon a question of principle, even
\nas we shall be bound to do, if the Subjects Committee should<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-<\/font><\/span>192<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\naccept
\nany Resolution against which we may have any fundamental objection.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>But why, indeed, should it be thought so outrageous on the part of a
\ndelegate to move such an amendment, when any popular man is kept, \u2014 by a small
\ncabal \u2014 out of the Presidential Chair? Mr. Tilak’s name has been presented to
\nthe Reception Committee: if the Reception Committee reject it, on the ground
\nthat Bombay, i<\/i>.e<\/i>., <\/i>Mr. Mehta and Mr. Watcha and Mr. Gokhale do not wish
\nto have him, or that Bengal, i<\/i>.e<\/i>., <\/i>Babus Surendranath and Bhupendranath
\nand Krishnakumar consider him to be unsafe, or that a few Moderates in Madras
\nfeel nervous about him, \u2014<\/span> then, why should it be so wrong for those who are
\nnot within the charmed circle of Mr. Gokhale’s "responsible leaders",
\nto demand an open poll at the Congress itself? That the President-elect is
\nformally proposed and seconded and elected by a vote of the delegates, gives
\nitself the right to any delegate to oppose the motion or move an amendment to
\nit. If such a thing has not yet happened in the Congress, it is because so long
\nthere were not two Parties in the Congress with two distinct policies and
\nprogrammes. There has, of late grown two such Parties at least, and if not this
\nyear, the next, or the year after, some day \u2014 either of them will seek to make
\nthe Congress an organ of their own opinions. Politics and patriotism have ceased
\nto be pastimes with us; and the amenities of the playground cannot be expected
\nin the field of vital conflicts and competitions. But the possibility of such
\nconflicts need cause no nervousness in any quarter, for these will not kill, but
\nrather breathe life and reality into the movement.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>We want Mr. Tilak, as any other Congress-man or any other section or
\nparty of the Congress might desire to have another person for the Congress
\nPresidency. Babus Bhupendranath and Surendranath stole a march upon us by asking
\nMr. Naoroji if he would come, in case he was duly elected by the Reception
\nCommittee. They did not play fair, but still if Dadabhai Naoroji comes, we will
\nraise no difficulty, provided the Reception Committee formally elects him. Our
\nattitude will be the same with regard to any other man also. But if any name is
\nsuddenly sprung upon us at the last moment, if the opinions of the other
\nProvinces are<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-193<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\ntaken
\nin an underhand way, if names are passed at meetings due notice of which was not
\ngiven \u2014 then every delegate will have just grounds to publicly oppose such an
\nunauthorised and unconstitutional nomination for the Congress Presidency. Will
\nthe Hindu <\/i>or the Standard <\/i>refuse him this right?<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>But, after all, we still think there is no cause for anxiety. It does not
\ntake long to make such preparations as may have to be made for the Congress, in
\na City like Calcutta, and everything will be all right in due time, whatever the
\nIndian Mirror<\/i>, <\/i>when sorely pressed for "copy" might write or
\nprint on the subject.<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nBande
\nMataram<\/i>,
\n<\/i> <\/font> October 13, 1906<\/font><\/p>\n

Statesman’s Sympathy Brand<\/a><\/font><\/h2>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe
\ndesign of the extended New Market was an achievement on which Mr. MacCabe, the
\nChief Engineer of the Corporation was congratulated by an Anglo-Indian
\ncontemporary. But Mr. MacCabe wrote to say that he was an engineer and not an
\narchitect and the credit of the design should be given not to him but to his
\nIndian Assistant, Mr. Cavasjee. No sooner was the fact revealed that the work
\nwas done by an Indian than the Statesman <\/i>recognised that the design was a
\nreplica which had for its original the Crawford Market in Bombay. This startling
\nrevelation has consoled our sympathetic contemporary and repaired the wounded
\nvanity of Anglo-India. We cannot sufficiently admire the connoisseurs who
\ndelight in the peculiar flavour of the Statesman<\/i>‘s <\/i>friendly sympathy
\ntowards Indians.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nBy The Way<\/font><\/a><\/h2>\n


\nNews from Nowhere<\/font><\/span><\/h2>\n

\n(From
\nour correspondent)<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe
\nPunjab journal, Light<\/i>, <\/i>has suggested that in order to safeguard the
\nCongress the Standing Committee should be empowered to expel from the Congress
\nranks any uncomfortable<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-194<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\nand
\nundesirable delegate, by three-fourths majority and with reasons given. This
\nstatesmanlike proposal has attracted great attention in Bombay and a meeting was
\nheld in Mr. D. E. Watcha’s office yesterday to consider and give effect to it.
\nSir Pherozshah Mehta, resplendent with eternal youth, took the chair. After some
\ndiscussion the proposal was passed and declared, on the spot, a fundamental law
\nof the Congress constitution. It was decided, however, that the Bombay Committee
\nalone should enjoy the power, Sir Pherozshah pointing out that Bombay was the
\nonly safe, loyal and moderate city in India and would remain so as long as he
\n(Sir Pherozshah) was its uncrowned King. It was suggested, but timidly and in
\nan awestruck whisper, that even Sir Pherozshah might not live forever but the
\ngreat man answered, "Ľ<\/font>\u00c9<\/span>tat,
\nc’est moi<\/i>" <\/i>and "apr\u00e8<\/span>s
\nmoi le d\u00e9<\/span>luge<\/i>" <\/i>(The State? I am the State, and after
\nme, the deluge). As no one present happened to know French, this argument was
\nconsidered unanswerable. An amendment to the effect that Madras and the United
\nProvinces might also be given the power, under proper safeguards and
\nrestrictions, was overwhelmingly defeated, the majority being composed of Sir
\nPherozshah Mehta and the minority of all the other members present. It was next
\nproposed that Mr. B. G. Tilak should be the first person declared disqualified
\nfrom becoming a Congress delegate. A member present had the temerity to suggest
\nthat this proceeding would hurt the Congress and not Mr. Tilak. He was augustly
\ncommanded by the chairman to shut up, but as he still persisted the members rose
\nin a body, hustled him out of the room, propelled him downstairs and then
\nreturned to their seats fatigued but with a consciousness of duty done. After
\nthis the proscription of Lala Lajpat Rai was proposed and carried nem<\/i>.
\ncon<\/i>. <\/i>Babu
\nBepin Chandra Pal was the last name suggested and carried uproariously, the
\nmembers voting twice in their enthusiasm. The reasons alleged for these
\nproscriptions have not been fully ascertained. Mr. Tilak was disqualified
\nbecause he has been to jail and has no tact, Babu Bepin Chandra Pal because he
\nis Babu Bepin Chandra Pal; I am unable to discover the precise reason alleged in
\nLala Lajpat Rai’s case, but I believe it was because he was not Mr. Alfred Nundy.
\nAfter the other members had left, Sir Pherozshah and
\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-195<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\nMr.
\nWatcha constituted themselves into a public meeting, re-constituted the Standing
\nCommittee and elected fifty delegates <\/font>
\nfor
\nthe Calcutta Congress.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n*<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>There is little other fresh news from this quarter. The announcement of
\nMr. Morley’s intended reforms in the Pioneer <\/i>has created great excitement
\nand it is understood that several petitions have reached Lord Minto protesting
\nagainst the selection of a Gurkha prince and suggesting the petitioners’
\nsuperior claims. Nawabzada Nasurullah Khan of Sachin and Nawab Salimullah of
\nDacca are among the claimants. It is also understood that Mr. K. G. Gupta has
\nsent in his pretensions through the Bengal Government, but for this I cannot
\nvouch. Much alarm has been created in royalist and moderate circles by the
\npersistent attempts of Mr. Tilak to bring the merchants and mill-owners into the
\nSwadeshi Movement. The weather here is sultry but not thunderous. Fireworks are
\nfrequent.<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nBande
\nMataram<\/i>,
\nOctober<\/i><\/font> 29, 1906<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/h3>\n

\n
\nPage-196<\/font><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Coming Congress                   WITH the usual practice of frail humanity to give a dog a bad name, and then hang him, some of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-01-bande-mataram-volume-01","wpcat-8-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}