violence and pillage and then to punish the Swadeshists for the crime of self-defence or even simply for the crime of being assaulted.
The mask is off.Sri Aurobindo
Bande Mataram
Early Political Writings. 1890 — May 1908
Bande Mataram. April 27, 1907
The Mask is Off
The Anglo-Indian journals are trying to assure the public that everything is quiet in Jamalpur under the shadow of the British sword.
The accounts that are appearing in various Indian journals put a very different complexion on the situation.
It appears, to begin with, that the Gurkhas who were called in to preserve the peace are being allowed in cooperation with local hooligans to break it.
The case of image-breaking is being deliberately put off and the whole energy of the executive is devoted to terrorising the Hindus.
Several pleaders, a Muktear1, a Naib of Ramgopalpur and a Superintendent of the Gauripur estate, along with other leading gentlemen of Jamalpur have been arrested.
“The number of Mahomedan arrests,” writes one correspondent, “is simply nil”.
Comment is hardly necessary.
The alliance of the British bureaucracy with hooliganism stands confessed.
To take advantage of Mahomedan riots in order to further terrorise by legal proceedings the assaulted Hindus, is the first preoccupation of the local magistrates.
We have pointed out already that the procedure is to give scope and room enough for anti-Swadeshi violence and pillage and then to punish the Swadeshists for the crime of self-defence or even simply for the crime of being assaulted.
The mask is off.
Later edition of this work: The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo.- Set in 37 volumes.- Volumes 6-7.- Bande Mataram: Political Writings and Speeches. 1890–1908 .- Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 2002.- 1182 p.
1 2002 ed. CWSA, vol.6-7: Mukhtar