You will pardon me, therefore, if I, instead of talking to you on the ensuing Municipal elections, talk of our duty at this critical juncture. The situation in the country is of the gravest character and danger. The attitude of the authorities that be is unmistakable. They are determined to “see the matter through at all costs” to use the words of Sir Harcourt Butler. The mentality of a section of our countrymen who have seceeded from the Congress and are now co-operating with the Government is also equally certain. Sir Binode Mittra, with full knowledge of the arrests of the three ladies of the President Elect’s family, pledged the fullest support of the Moderate-party to the ex-Chief Justice of England in an after-dinner speech only the other day at Calcutta. Pandit Motilal Nehru is sentenced to six months and yet the Raja of Mahmudabad retains his seat on the U. P. Executive Council. Lala Harkishanlal sticks to his post in spite of the arrest of Lala Lajpatrai. I know there is some feeling of resentment here and there even in the Moderate party over this mad policy of the Government. It has been reported that an M. L. C. or an M. L. A. left the dinner party held in honour of the Viceroy at Calcutta immediately after the
