-121_The Slaying Congress.htm

            SURAT MODERATE

                                     They are stored with coin
For drink; for which they’d sell their souls to Satan
And do his fiendish will.

            MEHTA

                                     Then let us go. We shall perfect
The plot when we have seen what Tilak does.

S C E N E  I I I

Surat.

Tilak.

            TILAK

The plot is perfect. To prepare the way
Congress is brought here where proud Mehta’s lord.
When she will stand among her friends and his,
We shall be quite a handful, so he does
His will upon her; binds her in the chains
Of this strange constitution; so that she
Is utterly made helpless, bound and gagged.
Meanwhile the four great planks are sawn apart
Which we had introduced beneath her throne,
And when we are driven out, they will be broken
And Congress hurled into a dungeon deep
There to be starved to death, while in her place
Another wearing both her name and robes
Usurps her place. Oh vile conspiracy!
But let me see if we have not the strength
Of members. Nagpore and Amraoti stand
Behind me, all the Deccan’s at my back,
Madras has sent a valiant band, Bengal
Some of her choicest sons, and there are some
Even from the North — six hundred stalwart men

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To back me. But if the Committee’s packed
These numbers will not help. This Gujerat,
Untouched till now by our great National Creed,
Sends half the numbers; her unaided voice
May overbear the will of the whole land.
What then? Let us then from the first oppose
And show the people that it is a voice
Local at best which seeks to bind our Lady
And drive from her Democracy. It may be
That if our opposition is too strong
From the beginning, we may force the friends
Mehta relies on to compel their chief
To meet us and give up this fatal plot.
When Suren comes, I’ll meet him and appeal
To him to save their Congress from her fate.
There’s Moti too, who’ll do his best, Lajpat
And others. It may be some compromise
Is possible; we would not then oppose
From the beginning, but with friendly hearts
Agree how best to keep dear Congress safe.
Meanwhile ’tis best to be prepared for worst.

       (Calls)

Go, friend, and tell our party to be ready
With all its chiefs. We must be bold but calm
And let young, rash Democracy be patient,
For Congress’ life’s in peril.

S C E N E  I V

Surat.

Suren, Moti, Tilak.

             SUREN

I am quite one with you, and mean to insist
Upon the four. But you must also yield,

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Nor let our Rash Behari be opposed.

             TILAK

There is the rub. Our friends are full of wrath
And if you wish us to yield up our points,
Some pledge, some plain assurance we must have
That Congress’ freedom and the four supports
Of her great throne are safe.

             SUREN

                                           For my own self
And for Bengal I give the pledge. Gokhale
May join us.

             TILAK

                    So let it be. Or if another
In some authority can give the pledge
We shall be satisfied.

             SUREN

                                 That too I’ll try
Or try yourself.

             TILAK

                        Well, then, try Gokhale you.
Myself will seek some other out whose word
May satisfy my friends.

             SUREN

                                   That is agreed.

             MOTI

When Congress takes her throne, be then prepared
To give the pledge.

             SUREN

                             I am prepared.

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              TILAK

                                                      That is done.
I hope this day will be a peaceful day
Of friendly union, and the threatened storms
Disperse. Come, let us do our part.

S C E N E  V

Surat.
Gokhale, Mehta, Suren, Tilak, Congress, Democracy and others.

             GOKHALE

I cannot give the pledge.

             SUREN

                                      Why can you not?

             GOKHALE

Why, what am I? A humble single man
Whose voice is but a voice and nothing more.
I dare not be presumptuously bold
To speak for Congress, who alone can say
What she intends.

              SUREN

                           There’s something in your plea.

              TILAK

Nothing but an unreal humbleness
Concealing fell designs. But if ’tis meant
Congress to bind, then let the storm begin.

              SUREN

I am prepared.

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              TILAK
                        What is your single word?

 
               SUREN

Bengal’s.

 
               TILAK

              But not for Gujerat you speak.
And ’tis the voice of Gujerat will stand
For India’s here.

               SUREN

                          Well, I will do my part,
Whatever happens.

 
              DEMOCRACY

                              We will not hear your voice.
 

              SUREN

How now? What is this boldness on the part
Of pestilential bold Democracy?
Shall I not then be heard, Suren, who lead
Bengal?
 

              DEMOCRACY

             I lead Bengal and all the world.
 

              SUREN

I know thee, upstart. When at Midnapore
I stood before the people, ’twas thy voice
Insulted me. Traitor and pestilence,
Be silent, let me speak.

                                                (Tumult)

              DEMOCRACY

                                    ‘Twas thou, I think,
Traitor thyself, who broughtest the police
To sit beside thee there Jest my bold hand

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Should thrust thy friend from his unmerited
And misused eminence. Be silent.
 

              SUREN

                                                    I . . . . . . . . . . . ..
 

              DEMOCRACY

Be silent.
                                                (Tumult)

              SURAT MODERATE

              Who art thou to bid him hush?
 

              DEMOCRACY

Democracy, whose voice must be supreme.
 

              SURAT MODERATE

I am supreme.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                      Silence. I will prorogue
This sitting.
 

              SUREN

                  What, my voice will not be heard?
Who shall prevent me?
 

              DEMOCRACY

                                    I.  Hold thy glib tongue.
                                              (Tumult)
I here prorogue the session.
 

               SUREN

                                          This despite
Shall be repaid.

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A c t  T h r e e

S C E N E  I

Surat.
Gokhale, Mehta, Suren, Aiyar.

             SUREN

Now I am with you. Mehta, do thy worst.
Whatever purpose brews within thy brain,
Though it be fell as darkest Erebus,
I will support.

 
             GOKHALE

                      I sympathise with you,
Suren. This is the plotted spiteful deed
Of Tilak.

 
             MEHTA

             He has set Democracy
Against thee so that he alone may rule.

 
             AIYAR

Abandon them and be our first and chief.
 

             GOKHALE

It is decided then. Let Congress die,
Convention take her place.
 

             AIYAR

                                        And a good riddance.

 
             GOKHALE

I do not this without a deep regret.
Congress was dear to me as my own child.
 

             AIYAR
But children gone astray are best removed.

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             GOKHALE

Our enemies have played into our hands,
Have they not, Mehta? Suren is wholly ours.
 

              SUREN

Now what remains?
 

              GOKHALE

                              We must let people think
‘Twas Tilak did the deed.
 

              MEHTA

                                       Trust me for that.
 

               SUREN

Well, as you will. Though Tilak was my friend,
This wipes out every previous record. Come,
Let us prepare tomorrow’s piteous deed,
So fell it is, almost I hesitate.
Democracy, Democracy, thou evil
Upstart and hooligan, ’tis thou, ’tis thou
That drivest me to this crime.

 
              GOKHALE

                                            Waver not now.
All’s for the sake of Hind.
 

              SUREN

                                        And I am hers.
 

             GOKHALE

So are we all. Who works for selfish ends?
Let Tilak do his worst, we are prepared.
 

              MEHTA

Moderate of Surat, art thou ready?
 

              SURAT MODERATE

                                                      I am,

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The dagger’s sharp, our men are armed with sticks
And at thy word the tumult will begin.
 

              MEHTA

That’s well.

S C E N E  II

 The same.
Tilak, Moti, Democracy, Aswini.

              TILAK

Whatever provocation pushed you on,
You were a fool to pick this quarrel; see,
Suren is lost.

              DEMOCRACY

                    We are too strong to care
Who stays with us or who remains.
 

              TILAK

                                                      Imprudent.
If Congress falls, the country will be wroth
Because ’twas we who first began the strife.
Well, well, to sorrow now is vain. Henceforth
Be patient, let not thy tumultuous heart
Break out in words.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                               Why should I curb myself?
 

              TILAK

For Congress’ sake.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                               I would do much for her,

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But not renounce my freedom.

              ASWINI

                                              What a man!
Be patient now that henceforth thou mayst be
Sovereign and lord.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                              I am already lord.
 

              MOTI

You will spoil everything.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                                      So let it be.
I will not give my right of liberty
For any sovereignty Congress can give.
 

              TILAK

If she should wed thee, then thou getst with ease
What otherwise must be with labour got
And fierce revolt.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                          Why, is it not our creed
That nations are with labour and revolt
Set free?
 

              TILAK

             That is from foreign hands,
Not from our countrymen.
 

              DEMOCRACY

                                        You are too subtle,
I only understand my right and strength,
Not these distinctions. But this time I’ll yield.
 

              TILAK

That’s good. Now, Moti, let us do our best.

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It may be even now that they will hear us.
 

              DEMOCRACY

It is not to be hoped.
 

              TILAK

                                I am more sanguine.
 

              MOTI

Well, try and if we fail the fault is theirs.
 

              TILAK

Good, let us go about it

Bande Mataram, February 16, 1908

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