them first to stop cow killing and then think of bargaining with Mussalmans.  And how are we Hindus behaving ourselves towards the cow and her progeny!  Do we treat her as our religion requires us?  Not till we have set our own house in order and saved the cow from the Englishmen have we the right to plead on her behalf with the Mussalmans.  And the best way of saving the cow from them is to give them unconditional help in their hour of trouble.

Similarly what do we owe the Punjab?  The whole of India was made to crawl on her belly in as much as a single Punjabi was made to crawl in that dirty lane in Amritsar, the whole womanhood of India was unveiled in as much as the innocent woman of Manianwalla were unveiled by an insolent office; and Indian childhood was dishonoured in that, that school children of tender age were made to walk four times a day to stated places within the martial area in the Punjab and to salute the Union Jack, through the effect of which order two children, seven years old died of sunstroke having been made to wait in the noonday sun.  In my opinion it is a sin to attend the schools and colleges conducted under the aegis of this Government so long as it has not purged itself of these crimes by proper repentance.  We may not with any sense of self-respect plead before the courts of the Government when we remember that it was through the Punjab Courts that innocent men were sentenced to be imprisoned and hanged.  We become participators in the crime of the Government by voluntarily helping it or being helped by it.

The women of India have intuitively understood the spiritual nature of the struggle.  Thousands have attended to listen to the message of non-violent non-co-operation and have given me their precious ornaments for the purpose of advancing the cause of Swaraj.  Is it any wonder if I believe the possibility of gaining Swaraj within a year after all these wonderful demonstrations?  I would be guilty of want of faith in God if I under-rated the significance of the response from the women of India.  I hope that the students will do their duty.  The country certainly expects the lawyers who have hitherto led public agitation to recognise the new awakening.

I have used strong language but I have done so with the greatest deliberation, I am not actuated by any feeling of revenge.  I do not consider Englishmen as my enemy.  I recognise the worth of many.  I enjoy the privilege of having many English friends, but I am a determined enemy of the English rule as is conducted at present and if the power—­tapasya—­of one man could destroy it, I would certainly destroy it, if it could not be mended.  An Empire that stands for injustice and breach of faith does not deserve to stand if its custodians will not repent and non-co-operation has been devised in order to enable the nation to compel justice.

I hope that Bengal will take her proper place in this movement of self-purification.  Bengal began Swadeshi and national education when the rest of India was sleeping.  I hope that Bengal will come to the front in this movement for gaining Swaraj and gaining justice for the Khilafat and the Punjab through purification and self-sacrifice.