Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/617

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toeen broken, and the great religion of Islam has been placed in danger. The Mussalmans hold and I venture to think they rightly hold that, so long as British promises remain unfulfilled, so long is it impossible for them to tender whole-hearted fealty and loyalty to the British connection ; and if it is to be a choice for a devout Mussalman between loyalty to the British connection and loyalty to his Code and Prophet, he will not require a second to make his choice, and he has declared his choice. The Mussalmans say frankly, openly and 'honourably to the whole world that, if the British Ministers and the British nation do not fulfil the pledges given to them and do not wish to regard with respect the sentiments of 70 millions of the inhabitants of India who profess the faith of Islam, it will be impossible foi them to retain Islamic loylaty. It is a question, then, for the rest of the Indian population to con- sider whether they want to perform a. neighbourly duty by their Mussalman countrymen, and if they do, they have an opportunity of a lifetime which will not occur for ano- ther hundred years, to show their good- will, fellowship and friendship and to prove what they have been saying for all these long years that the Mussalman is the broth er of the Hindu. If the Hindu regards that before the co nnec- tion with the British nation comes his natural connection with his Moslem brother, then I say to you that, if you find that the Moslem claim is just, that it is based upon real sentiment, and that at its background is this great religious feeling, you cannot do othewise than help the Mussalrnans through and through, so long as their cause remains just and the means for attaining the end remains equilly just f honourable and free from harm to India. These are the plain conditions which the Indian Musalmans have accep ted

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