I have been told that I should have waited for the declaration of the special Congress which is the mouth piece of the whole nation.  I know that it is the mouthpiece of the whole nation.  If it was for me, individual Gandhi, to wait, I would have waited for eternity.  But I had in my hands a sacred trust.  I was advising my Mussalman countrymen and for the time being I hold their honour in my hands.  I dare not ask them to wait for any verdict but the verdict of their own Conscience.  Do you suppose that Mussalmans can eat their own words, can withdraw from the honourable position they have taken up?  If perchance—­and God forbid that it should happen—­the Special Congress decides against them, I would still advise my countrymen the Mussalmans to stand single handed and fight rather than yield to the attempted dishonour to their religion.  It is therefore given to the Mussalmans to go to the Congress on bended knees and plead for support.  But support or no support, it was not possible for them to wait for the Congress to give them the lead.  They had to choose between futile violence, drawing of the naked sword and peaceful non-violent but effective non-co-operation, and they have made their choice.  I venture further to say to you that if there is any body of men who feel as I do, the sacred character of non-co-operation, it is for you and me not to wait for the Congress but to act and to make it impossible for the Congress to give any other verdict.  After all what is the Congress?  The Congress is the collected voice of individuals who form it, and if the individuals go to the Congress with a united voice, that will be the verdict you will gain from the Congress.  But if we go to the Congress with no opinion because we have none or because we are afraid to express it, then naturally we wait the verdict of the Congress.  To those who are unable to make up their mind I say by all means wait.  But for those who have seen the clear light as they see the lights in front of them, for them to wait is a sin.  The Congress does not expect you to wait but it expects you to act so that the Congress can gauge properly the national feeling.  So much for the Congress.

BOYCOTT OF THE COUNCILS

Among the details of non-co-operation I have placed in the foremost rank the boycott of the councils.  Friends have quarrelled with me for the use of the word boycott, because I have disapproved—­as I disapprove even now—­boycott of British goods or any goods for that matter.  But there, boycott has its own meaning and here boycott has its own meaning.  I not only do not disapprove but approve of the boycott of the councils that are going to be formed next year.  And why do I do it?  The people—­the masses,—­require from us, the leaders, a clear lead.  They do not want any equivocation from us.  The suggestion that we should seek election and then refuse to take the oath of allegiance, would only make the nation