exclusive service of the children of her soil, both Hindus and Muslims shall be happy and prosperous for many a century to come.
But in a divided Bengal, West Bengal is bound to be treated as far-flung province, possibly colony, of alien Indian imperialism. However high they may pitch their expectation on partition, it is crystal clear to me that the Hindus of Bengal shall be reduced to the status of daily wage-earner of an alien capitalism.
It will be a tragic mistake to visualize the future in the context of the vicious present bondage and slavery. Hindus of Bengal have developed a suspicious complex from 10 years of one party Muslim Ministry in Bengal. But it must be told to all fairness that neither the Bengal nor the All India Muslim League ever stood in the-pray of coalition with the real representatives of the Hindus of Bengal. The Muslim League party in the Legislature made persistent efforts to affect such a coalition but failed in the attempt due to the interference of the Congress High Command. Mr. Suhrawardy before the formation of his ministry made honest efforts to secure the co-operation of the Congress.
I distinctly remember that Mr. Gandhi in course of his talks with us at 40, Theater Road, on the eve of his departure for Noakhali, had said “I am not enamored of coalition. I believe in one party government. Therefore, I do not insist on coalition in Bengal." I might mention here that Bengal was then the only place which had a Muslim ministry. Any coalition here would have envisaged coalition ministries in the rest of India. Thus Hindu-Bengal was left in the lurch as were Muslim League elsewhere.
Hindus and Muslims of Bengal left to themselves and freed from the menace of Indianism can settle their affairs peacefully and happily. Unfortunately, the paramount interests of Muslim parliamentarians have always been in shuffling the ministry like a pack of cards. They could hardly concentrate on any policy and programme good, bad or indifferent.
I am unfortunate inasmuch as I fail to appreciate what is there in the wretched ministry under the Act of 1935. Since, reasonably or otherwise there is a suspicion on the part of the Hindus against them, it is now up to Muslims to clear the deck and convince them, not merely by sermons and press statements but by action that they do not mean to be unfair to them. The present unrest perverse thinking and suicidal moves constitute a disease of the social organism. Intense patriotism for the creation of a united and sovereign Bengal having all the attributes of an independent country is the remedy and not partition.
Mr. C. R. Das is dead. Let his spirit help us in moulding our glorious future. Let the Hindus and Muslims of Bengal agree to his formula of 50:50 enjoyments of political power and economic privileges. I again appeal to the youths of Bengal in the name of her past traditions and glorious future to unite, make a determined effort to dismiss all reactionary thinking and save Bengal from the impending calamity.
