The
Amrita Bazar Partika is out hunting! And with a gusto!!
The whip is flourished in the fond hope, that there
is an urgent necessity for the same and with a superb
confidence in its efficacy.
In so far as the admonition that the Partika is able
to administer, brings to light the reality of the situation;
we welcome the attempt but if by this tirade we are
asked to believe that the Patrika has understood the
problem in its entirety, we are sorry; we cannot accept
the same.
The ‘Patrika’ is enraged—enraged at the D.M.K. for its
seemingly anti-National activities—enraged at the Centre
for its inactivity or slowness in action, in putting
down the activities of the D.M.K. and lastly, it is
full of anger against the Finance Minister of Madras
State for what the daily terms as 'lack of wisdom'.
And all this because of one instance—an attempt as it
were at Statesmanship made by Hon’ble C.Subramanian.
As leader of the House, Mr. C.Subramaniam, in his reply
to the speeches on the Budget by members of the opposition,
made pointed reference to the D.M.K. After brushing
aside all suggestions, pooh-poohing all criticism, the
Finance Minister in his peroration asked the D.M.K.
to desist from “harping upon the theory of separation”
—and pleaded for “atleast a ten-year truce.”
Neither the Finance Minister nor the members of the
D.M.K. would have thought that there is a Master critic
at Calcutta, ready to pounce upon and powder all such
talk. In fact, the minister would have thought that
there would be a welcome pat or a paternal nod from
sympathetic quarters.
“That’s the way to silence the opposition. Always the
velvet glove! A smile now and then, cheering words of
encouragement and hope, will go a long way to ease out
difficulties, in cooling down antagonism. The Finance
Minister has done the right thing, rising above the
level of a politician, he has made statesmanly utterances.
We need such men in greater numbers” —Our Finance Minister
would have gone even to this length of imagination when
he issued that statement on the floor of the Assembly.
For, to give him his due, we should say that he was
heroically holding his ground—not compromising. But
his talk about a “ten-year truce” —Ah! the Amrita Bazar
Partika cannot face this!! “Why, Hon’ble Sir, why this
vacillation?” —the Partika asks—not in a comradely way
—but much in the vein of any school-master with a big
cane.
We reproduce elsewhere in full, the editorial of Amrita
Bazar Patrika—it is captioned, “A Dangerous Move.”
“No one cares to condemn the sponsors and leaders” writes
the Patrika! Ah! What a sorry state of affairs, indeed!
Here is a dangerous move! From distant Calcutta, the
Patrika is able to scent it out, and yet, “No one cares
to condemn.”
But is it really like that?
Did not Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru descend, though for
some moments, from his pinnacle of platitudes and Pancha
Shila to call us names—“these tribals!—”indulging in
childish nonsense”—and the like.
Let not the Patrika think, that the D.M.K. has not felt
the punches—the thrusts—the vilifications and condemnation!
The D.M.K has passed through the ring of fire and sword,
has crossed the valley of vindictive vilification; it
was not a rosy path, that was open to the D.M.K. Leaders
big and small and in the offing, had had their share
of throwing mud at us—but it is the support that the
masses have shown, that has given strong sinews to the
party that has sustained the D.M.K. all this time—and
now it is recognized by millions and millions of the
sons of the soil, that the D.M.K. is not just another
political party but a Liberation Rally.
We are glad that the Patrika seems to be aware of this
fact, for it writes, possibly with a view to correct
the thought and words of some of its friends in the
Congress Camp .
“It is not a frivolous cry raised by a handful of insignificant
or irresponsible agitators; it is a serious political
movement led by an organised political party”
We plead guilty to the charge!! Had we been frivolous
we would have been offered some loaves and fishes of
office, and would be by this time snoring into the oblivion
after a sumptuous feast—but we are not irresponsible—our
demand is not flippant we are serious—serious and sincere
indeed in our ideal demand, that every multi—coloured
charm of Pandit Nehru's fame, fails to detract from
our path. We do admire him—in fact we pay our homage
to him—the Last of the Romans—but on no account are
we prepared to fall at his feet, and compromise —for
the ideal with which we are twined is of such nobility
that small though we are, very ordinary our stations
in life, limited our equipment, we are fed by sincerity,
strengthened and animated by the ideal, we refuse to
succumb to calls, or cat-calls!!
No day passes without the people hearing the need for
getting their due from the New Masters at Delhi! For,
when the speaker of the D.M.K. unfolds before the audience,
the glory that was Tamil Nadu and the degradation into
which it has fallen now, the people are moved to such
depths, their thoughts ascend to such heights, that
no amount of strong action from the powers that be,
is powerful enough to floor them into submission
Long, long before the ‘Senas and Palas’ shed glorious
lustre over Bengal we here were having a glorious history
—our exploits were sung by the bards of many a land,
our merchandise adorned the palaces and hovels in distant
countries and our polity served as a model for many
a nation —and about our Literary achievement suffice
to say that our Tholkappiam a compendious grammatical
cum literary work was compiled two thousand years ago.
And this ancient land is today being made the happy
hunting ground of those up country plutocrats, who are
having the Congress at their beck and call!
The Patrika is terribly angry—for it thinks, that the
Masters at Delhi have been very soft so far ! Nothing
of that the sort, Sirs, nothing of the sort! They have
here in our domain., toadies and sycophants, mercenaries
and political mendicants, who miss no opportunity to
oppose us, who spare no word to vilify us and who are
fully equipped with weapons of various types and dimensions.
Let not the Patrika think that the D.M.K. is all accident
undetected, or a surprise unaccounted! It is a patient
and laborious growth—culling out the intimate and innermost
thoughts of a fallen Nation—chiselling out objects out
of stray stones, cementing by means of sincerity and
society; the edifice has risen to ground level not without
encountering many a blast and handmine! We had them
in full—and we are stout hearted enough to bear more—for
nothing annihilates an ideal! Once it takes root, no
gale or gunfire has got power enough to arrest its growth.
‘The History of Nationalism is voluminous, and any page
abounds with lessons of importance and also interest
.
But we forget in our fervour, this fact—the Patrika
is not interested in History as much as it is interested
in the I.P.C. perhaps! Imperialism, whatever the difference
in colour, has got the same method—an attempt at annihilating
the upsurge, and getting itself annihilated in that
process.
But because of the fact that the Patrika was intimately
connected with a liberation movement, it is able to
point out with masterly precision.
“When Chaudri Rahamat Ali invented the concept of a
Muslim State in India, everybody including Mr. Jinnah
enjoyed a hearty laugh at his cost. The Lahore Resolution
on Pakistan was virtually ignored as a political absurdity.
Within seven years however it became a reality.”
Of course the aim of the Patrika in pointing out this
historic instance, is not to offer encouragement to
us, but to warn those at Delhi to be on their guard!
"Please do not minimise the gravity of it—do not
try to ignore it—think not that it will die of its own
accord—nothing like that—Be up and doing!!"- that
is the aim.
But, those engaged in the freedom fight, draw an entirely
different inspiration from that instance!.
Seven years of selfless service, strenuous work, were
enough to make what was termed with derision as political
absurdity become a solid reality!
We are deeply thankful to the Patrika for reminding
us of an instance, which none of this generation could
have forgotten! An instance, which has changed the very
face of the Atlas.
But then, there is the big stick!— the Patrika is bound
to remind us. Yes ! None can doubt its existence! But
should not the price for freedom be paid amply? If the
price is to be paid in the currency of blood, sweat
and tears, well what’s to be done, except to prepare
ourselves for the supreme sacrifice!
Well, after finding fault with the wisdom of the Finance
Minister the Patrika offers what it considers to be
the right solution.
"Do not compromise! Talk not about a truce—ten
years or twenty. What should be done is this and only
this. Din into their ears, the idea of Unity! The idea
of India one and indivisible ! And then all will be
well!"
There is almost a grain of sinister thought lurking,
when the Patrika points out, that the usage of the word
“Truce” is wanton!
It seems, the Patrika had great difficulty in suppressing
the temptation to write more bluntly.
Reading in between the lines, one is bound to note,
that the Patrika wants to shout out almost that the
Finance Minister is secretly in alliance with the D.M.K.
and only seemingly opposing it.
The D.M.K. wants separation here and now, but the prudent
Finance Minister wants to wait for ten years—screening
the innermost struggle—just for the sake of tapping
the resources from the Centre with a view to industrialise
the State—then.....!!
We are sorry that the Finance Minister has almost become
a suspect in the eyes of the Patrika!
But let us note the more serious charge! The Patrika
asks the F.M. to teach unto the erring, the ideal of
National Unity ! As if the F.M. and his band have not
done it already!! Everyday we hear their harangue and
every authority is marshalled in their favour. Still!!
Here is the verdict from a veteran—not of the D.M.K.—
but of the Congress fold. Just because he is not on
the saddle, the importance of his utterance cannot be
minimised—on the other hand, not burdened with any office,
he is able to unburden his thoughts with a vigour and
vivacity which the velvet seat would have certainly
crushed . And here is his verdict.
“Ambitions to build National greatness for India had
always to fight the fissiparous tendencies that are
inherent in our continental psychology.”
We would like to remind the Patrika of the well-known
fact that Mr. Rajagopalachari, an astute lawyer and
a seasoned politician grown into a sobre statesman,
would not make use of words, haphazard! Hence, we would
draw the attention of the Patrika, to mark the words,
used by Mr. Achariar.
Ambitions! Not ideal—not attempts, not desire—but Ambitions
is the word used, when this elder politician, expresses
his thoughts about National greatness for India. And
why?
Ambition is neither a happy word, not a good dictum.
Any talk about or task devoted to, National greatness
for India, is in the words of this elder statesman,
an ambition!!
And, note also, another couple of words, thrown in,
by C.R.
He mentions about our Continental psychology- not National
trait or character, but Continental ! A recognition
of the fact, that India is a Continent, and to forge
a National consciousness in this Continent, is first
and foremost an Ambition.
The Amrita Bazar Patrika will find such analysis, a
bit bitter—but the leaders of our time have failed to
achieve unity, simply because, they were attempting
the impossible, and the undesirable! They are ambitious,
they are engaged in getting at a fictitious ideal— they
forget that it is impossible to get a National unity
from out of a continental psychology. They cajole the
cock to lay an egg and are angry when it scorns their
attempt.
Mean you, that there is nothing at all like Indian Unity?
The Partika would like to ask. Let C.R. answer!
“There is no doubt in ineffable Indian Unity, but it
is not sufficiently solid for political building. The
feeling for self-government itself becomes a force to
oppose subordination to a larger democracy where freedom
must submit to be controlled by an All India Majority”
The bards are free to sing sweet sonnets, they with
a professional bent of mind can deliver delightful discourses
on the underlying current of Indian Unity, but all this
and more is not going to help us, in getting at a political
building!
Sentiment is one thing and solid fact entirely different
—the one does not necessarily and always, bear or rear
the other.
But we are attempting!—the Patrika is bound to thunder
forth, with special emphasils on the word we.
Well, C.R. is here again and we are almost able to see
the chuckle on his face, when he writes this.
“Every historic attempt at Empire was to enforce total
submission. Fissiparous forces always proved too strong
in the end for such imperial ambitions. Break ups followed
each temporary success with accelerated speed.”
Silenced for a moment the Patriks is bound to ask in
anger “Empire builders might have failed—but don’t you
know, that we are building up democracy? This process
won’t fail".
C.R. expects that, and writes
“Under the spell of Democracy we are apt to fail to
recognize the inherent difficulty of our continental
culture”
The Patrika would do well to ponder over these expressions
coming as they do from one, who is not merely of the
same camp—but who contributed so much in building up
the camp itself.
And when honest attempts are made to forge ahead what
the Patrika terms as Indian Unity, what do we find?
An Imperialism! Nothing short of it! May be this Imperialism
may parade the Gita as an emblem and not the Gun—for
the present! But imperialism it is!... teenaged!!
F.M?
Becomes a suspect!
“The history of Indian politics after 1947 has shown
how the temptation has continuously worked towards Centralisation.
Power is sought to be concentrated in the Centre and
the States are slowly, steadily rendered unimportant
......................... The States are being reduced
pretty rapidly to the status of grant-receiving corporations.”
But the Patrika would be thinking, “What if? Bharat
is one—what care we where the power is vested? Delhi
is as good as Darjeeling, and we find no sentimental
difference between Chowringee and Connaught Circus!
But, what C.R. is concerned with, is not to find fault
with the Centre—his concern is, this: this attempt at
centralisation leads ultimately to the Break-ups! That
is what is worrying him. He can find as much of comfort
at a desk, in the Hindustan Times, as at the Kalki!
His worry is, about the impending break-up.
“This may appeal to some who are centrally minded but
it would be a house built on sand. It cannot last, for
the time will arrive when the centrifugal forces will
assert themselves and when it will be found there is
not power enough in any personality at the Centre to
hold the flying parts.”
It is the “Swarajya” which has had the honour of getting
this thought-provoking article of C.R.—not the Homeland.
This should make even the Patrika think twice before
offering advices on Indian Unity!!
It has been attempted and the outcome has been the ugly
situation, to be found now, in many a State.
The ‘Patrika’ has got much to think even nearer home
there is Assam, and the oil question has given much
heart burning even to Delhi.
The Patrika ought to have heard the protests from Assam—they
were long enough and the Tribune wrote, not with hesitation,
“Is Delhi prepared to face the future situation—what
if Assam decides to secede!?”
If to talk of seceding—not for the simple fun or fancy
of it—but with the noble thought of getting the fragrance
of a hundred flowers—if that is a sin, why there are
any number of sinners at Gauhati! The Patrika would
do well to practise sermonising there before vending
the very old stuff here.
The better way would be, to try to get the facts here,
and formulate suggestions, not to issue ‘fatwas’ and
box the ears of the Finance Minister for his suggestion—made
with all sincerity.
(14-07-1957)