The reason for this ghastly failure in our national life is palpable
from other points of view also. We the educated few, never co-operated
with the masses of our countrymen. We are not only proud of our
education, but also proud of our wealth and proud of our caste: and
this three-fold pride has so deadened and blinded our senses that, in
all our endeavours we leave quite out of account those who are the
flesh, blood and back-bone of the land. The gentry of our country are
mostly ill educated and therefore their pride springs from emptiness.
To speak the truth, the so-called educated have no right to mix with
their countrymen. They are narrow, callous and anglicised. They fail
even now to understand that in this crucial moment of Indian History,
the whole country should stand as one in working out her future
destiny. Here the Hindus and the Mohammedans should co-operate, the
Brahmins, the Vaidyas and the Kayasthas should come out hand in hand
with the peasants and the chandals. Chitta Ranjan harped upon the same
theme in his presidential address at the Provincial Conference:--
"Those who constitute 40 out of 46 millions of our countrymen,--those
who produce our bread by their labour--those who in their grinding
poverty have kept alive the torch of their ancient culture and ancient
polity--those whom our English civilization and English culture and
English law-courts have yet been powerless entirely to corrupt--those
whom the oppression of Zemindars and Mahajans have failed to
crush--are we,--a corrupt and effete handful--are we their betters and
superiors? We boast of our Hinduism; but with our false pride of
caste we are striking Hinduism at its very root. Even now while there
is time, let us perceive our fearful and heedless blunder. In our
oppressed and down-trodden fellow-brethren let us recognise the image
of Narayana: before that sacred and awful image, let us abandon all
false pride of birth and breed and let us bend our heads in reverence
and true humility. These seething millions of your land--be they
Christians or Mahomedans or Chandals--they are your brothers; embrace
them as such, co-operate with them and only then will your labours be
crowned with success."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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