{"id":420,"date":"2013-07-13T01:27:54","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=420"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:27:54","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:27:54","slug":"068-defying-the-circular-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\/068-defying-the-circular-vol-01-bande-mataram-volume-01","title":{"rendered":"-068_Defying the Circular.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

\nDefying the Circular<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

               
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>I<\/font><\/span><\/b>T
\nWILL<\/b> not be long now before the Colleges
\nopen and the students begin to return to Calcutta; the moment they come the
\nstruggle for the possession of the youth of the country must begin. The
\nbureaucracy has thrown out the challenge and there is every sign that it will be
\ntaken up. Men of all parties, except the party of Mr. N. N. Ghose which, as it
\nconsists of only one man, need not concern us, are agreed that to acquiesce in
\nthe Circular is out of the question. If there is any difference of opinion, it
\nis as to the best method of defying it, and that is not a matter of primary
\nimportance. For our own part, we have expressed ourselves in favour of an
\neducational strike, because that is the most straightforward, the most masculine
\nand the most aggressive form of passive resistance of which the occasion allows.
\nWe hold that in order to rise the nation must get into the habit of offering
\nchallenges rather than receiving them and when it is behind, it must take the
\nswiftest and most direct form of demonstration open to it. Passive resistance
\ncan be carried on in an inert and passive spirit of mechanical reaction against
\npressure from above, or it may be carried on in an active and creative spirit,
\nit may take the initiative instead of being driven; it may assail the citadels
\nof the enemy instead of merely defending its own. What India needs especially at
\nthis moment is the aggressive virtues, the spirit of soaring idealism, bold
\ncreation, fearless resistance, courageous attack; of the passive tamasic spirit
\nof inertia we have already too much. We need to cultivate another training and
\ntemperament, another habit of mind. We would apply to the present situation the
\nvigorous motto of Danton, that what we need, what we should learn above all
\nthings is to dare and again to dare and still to dare.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>Nevertheless we recognise that to leap at once from an overpoweringly
\ntamasic condition of mind into the rajasic, the active, restless, bold and
\ncreative, is not easy for a nation and if we can-<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/h4>\n

\nPage-405<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n

not have the best method, we will accept the second best,
\nso long as the principle of resistance is maintained. A general defiance of the
\nCircular will obviously make it unworkable, unless the Government is prepared to
\ndisaffiliate schools and colleges freely and give up its control of education.
\nIt is possible, of course, that they may do so in the hope of bringing the
\ncountry to its knees by drawing home the conviction that it cannot take in hand
\nits own education. But this will be a dangerous game to play; for the only thing
\nthat is needed to make the institution of a widespread and comprehensive system
\nof national education possible and indeed eminently practicable, is the
\ngeneration of an enthusiasm such as was beginning to gather force after the
\nCarlyle Circular. A stern and bitter struggle between the people and the
\nbureaucracy is the one thing that is likely to generate such an enthusiasm.
\nNational education is by no means impracticable or even difficult, it needs
\nnothing but a resolute enthusiasm in the country and the courage to take a leap
\ninto the unknown. This courage is common in individuals but not in nations,
\nleast of all in subject nations; and yet when the fire is lit, it is perhaps
\nsubject nations more than any other which are found ready to take the leap.<\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>We do not believe the bureaucracy will be willing to drive matters to
\nsuch a crisis. It is more likely that they will use the Circular to harass the
\nopposition and overcome our resistance by instituting measures of petty
\npersecution wherever they can do it without upheaving the whole foundation of
\nthe educational system in Bengal. All that is demanded from us is therefore a
\npersistent resolution to make the Circular unworkable regardless of loss and
\nsacrifice. We must take every opportunity of
\nchallenging
\nthe Circular and testing the<\/span> resolution
\nof the bureau<\/span>cracy and the campaign must be
\ncarried on simultaneously all over Bengal, if not in other parts of India as
\nwell. But it is Calcutta which must give the signal. Indeed, Calcutta has
\nalready given the signal. Meetings have been held in which teachers and students
\nhave attended and taken an active part; more meetings of the kind will be held
\nand when the Colleges reopen, there must be a general defiance of the ukase.
\nOnce Calcutta leads the way, East Bengal will respond and West<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/h4>\n

\nPage-406<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n

\nBengal
\nfollow the general example. The Risley Circular must go the way of its
\npredecessors.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nBy The Way<\/font><\/a><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nWhen shall We Three Meet Again?<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe
\nStatesman<\/i>, <\/i>which seems now to be the mouthpiece of the bureaucracy,
\npublished a semi-official communiqu\u00e9<\/span>
\nto the effect that prosecutions are being launched against three of the journals
\nin Bengal which have been the most violent in their recent utterances. This
\npleasant news opens the way to a most interesting line of speculation and we
\nwould suggest that one of our contemporaries, say, the Sandhya<\/i>, <\/i>might
\nstart a plebiscite or a prize competition for the correct list of the
\nunfortunate victims. The prize would of course be given to the competitor who
\ngot the right names in the right order. It would be interesting to know whether
\nthe impressions of the people and of the Bengal Government tallied on this
\nknotty question. If we ourselves are to be one of the recipients of this
\nGovernment distinction, we must petition the authorities beforehand
\n\u2014<\/span>
\neven at the sacrifice of our principles \u2014<\/span> that the three editors may be allowed to share the
\nsame cell and assist each other at the same oakum picking or other exhilarating
\noccupation in store for us, so that we may support each other \u201cunder the
\nburden of an honour into which we were not born\u201d. Always provided that the
\neditor of the Indian Nation <\/i>is not one of the three.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n*<\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>The Empire <\/i>is very much hurt that the Indian papers have not taken
\nany notice of the Viceroy’s magnanimous though somewhat belated refusal to sanction the Punjab Colonisation Bill. Our contemporary thinks that we kept silent out of pure
\ncussedness. This is unkind. Could not our dear white brother
\n\u2014<\/span>
\nor,<\/span> our
\ndear green brother, we should say \u2014<\/span>
\nrealise that there were other reasons, honourable or natural
\n\u2014<\/span><\/font>
\nfor this unanimous<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/h4>\n

\nPage-407<\/span><\/h4>\n
\n

\nhush.
\nIt might have been out of sheer awe, it might have been out of a choked emotion.
\nSome scruples of delicacy, some feelings of the "sorrow rather than
\nanger" sort, perhaps even excessive loyalty may have stopped the flow of
\nutterance. For instance, supposing in the rush of our gratitude one were to let
\nslip unpleasant hints about the relations between the Rawalpindi row and the
\nViceroy’s sudden and stupendous magnanimity!
\nWho
\nwould like to hurt our sympathetic Viceroy’s feelings by <\/span>such
\nungracious truths! Or again, supposing the Bengal papers
\nwere<\/span>
\n<\/span>contrasting
\nsilently events in the Punjab and Bengal?<\/span> They
\ndo present a remarkable contrast. In Bengal we have agitated for two years;
\n\u2014<\/span>
\nfirst with repeated petitions, with countless protest meetings, with innumerable
\nwails and entreaties from press and platform; but that could not help us, insult
\nand ridicule were our only gain. Then we tried every lawful means of concrete
\nprotest, every kind of passive resistance within the law
\nto
\nshow that we were in earnest. Result,<\/span> \u2014<\/span> nil.
\nBut in Punjab they petitioned and protested only for a few weeks and then
\n\u2014<\/span> went for Europeans, their persons, their
\nproperty and everything connected with them. Result
\n\u2014<\/span>
\nthe water tax postponed, the Colonisation Bill cancelled. Of course, as loyal
\nsubjects such as the Empire <\/i>wants to be we must regard the contrast with
\nsorrow rather than with anger. But if we were publicly to mention these matters,
\nmight not our feelings and even our motives be misunderstood? Might it not even
\nhappen that Police-Constable Andrew would run us in, under his new-old powers
\nfor sedition? And how could a loyal Press expose itself to such
\nmisunderstanding? The Empire <\/i>will surely agree with us, on reflection,
\nthat silence was best.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

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

\n <\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>It is a new and gratifying feature of present day politics to find the Englishman
\n<\/i>reporting Bengali meetings in the Calcutta squares with a full appreciation
\nof their importance. The meeting in College Square at which Srijut Krishna Kumar
\nMitra presided has been favoured as well as Srijut Bepin Chandra Pal’s meeting
\nat Beadon Square. As to the accuracy of the reports we have our<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-408<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\ndoubts,
\nfor the Bengali gentleman who reports for our contemporary is afflicted with the
\nidea that he is very humorous, and there is nothing so fatal to accuracy as a
\nsense of humour. We would not object to this amiable delusion, or the particular
\nstyle of the reporter’s wit, if it did not so persistently recall to us the
\nimperial citizen of the British metropolis out on a spree who thinks it is a
\nhuge joke to tickle his fellow citizens with a peacock’s feather or to comment
\non their possession of hair or the origin of their headgear with other light and
\ncutting sarcasms. However, we note with satisfaction that teachers and students
\nattended the meeting, that a teacher presided, another spoke and a student
\nseconded a resolution. We too await with interest the action of the authorities
\nin the matter.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n*<\/p>\n

\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n


\n           
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>Our venerable friend the Indian Mirror <\/i>has solemnly assured us
\nthat it should be understood that no Government, Conservative or Liberal, will
\ncountenance violent methods, such as the Extremists have hitherto employed. For
\nthis surprising information, drawn no doubt from occult sources, much thanks.
\nBut still we cannot help inquiring, who the devil ever asked them to? No one in
\nhis senses, or out of them, either, ever dreamed of calling upon any Englishman
\nto support the Extremist policy. We note with interest that the Mirror <\/i>considers
\nBoycott, Passive Resistance, National Education, Arbitration and Physical
\nTraining to be "violent" methods. On the other hand we find Srijut
\nNarendra Nath Sen’s signature affixed to the recently-issued statement in which
\nthe use of violent methods in Bengal is denied. Hail, holy light, divine
\nre-effective, <\/font> Mirror<\/i>!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n


\n <\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

\n*<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n            The
\nbreathless speed with which the Statesman <\/i>is legislating and
\nadministering the affairs of the nation, makes one’s head whirl. One day the
\nSimla Government, no doubt laying heads together with Mr. John Morley, issues a
\nnotice handing the Press over to the tender mercies of the local
\nadministrations, but with a rider<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-409<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\nthat
\nthis is in the nature of a warning to the Press to behave itself and the effect
\nwill be watched before action is taken. After watching the effect for the space
\nof twenty four hours the Statesman <\/i>issues an order from Darjeeling to
\nprosecute any three papers out of the long list of English and vernacular
\npublications in Bengal, the selection to be made on the principle of the loudest
\nfirst. Before the Press has recovered from this shock, while everybody from the Englishman
\n<\/i>down to the Mihir Sudhakar <\/i>is brooding over his past sins and
\npreparing for the arrival of the police with handcuffs, while even the Mirror
\n<\/i>and the Nation <\/i>are trying to banish uncomfortable memories of an
\nindiscreet article or two on the Jamalpur outrages, lo and behold, the Statesman
\n<\/i>in its Viceregal Council at Simla is forging a new Act which shall provide
\nfor the gagging of the Press without the trouble of a prosecution. We know that
\nthese are the days of the electric tram and the motor car, and telepathy and
\nwireless telegraphy, but really this is overdoing it. A little slower, please.<\/font><\/p>\n


\nBande
\nMataram<\/i>,
\n<\/i> <\/font>June 7, 1907<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage-410<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Defying the Circular                     IT WILL not be long now before the Colleges open and the students begin to return to Calcutta; the…<\/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-420","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\/420","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=420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}