Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/277

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tation was sent to England, he intended to start a vigorous agitation in India to back it up. With the Partition of Bengal came a change. Public opinion in India was roused to an intense pitch. Appeals were made to England. They were unheeded. The people lost their faith in the good intentions of England. At this time, the question of sending deputations to England was raised ; but now Mr. Tilak opposed the idea. The Nationalist Party wanted to force England's attention to India by means of a vigorous Boycott movement. In this programme of Boycott, deputations had no place. Ten eventful years passed and the times were changed. The India of 19 17 was not the India of 1907. New forces were at work, not only in India but all the world over. The war of ' Liberty ' had transformed the civilised world, estabUshed India's necessity to England and extorted from the most bigoted Anglo-Indians and English men and women tributes to India's loyalty and India's heroism. This was, indeed, the time to press our claims on the grateful attention of England, open her eyes to India's grievances and to the valour strength and ability lying unused, discouraged and put down by the suspicions of the Bureaucrats in India. " Now is the time when a political mission ought to be established in England '* said Mr. Tilak. " We must cease to be parochial. Our earliest activities were merely local and isolated. Then they became provin- cial and then National. Now is the time to plunge into international currents of thought and life, realise our ideal, and to convince the world that India is seri- ously after attaining her highest not only in National life but in the international affairs as weU". 17