পাতা:মহারাজা মণীন্দ্রচন্দ্র - জগদীশচন্দ্র ভট্টাচার্য্য.pdf/১৮৭

মহারাজা শুর মণীন্দ্রচন্দ্র নন্দী । ●岁钟 a Presidency Government—though this is a matter which I think our public bodies should keep steadily: in view— we have but a prayer in the alternative that if partition be inevitable the Bengali speaking race should not be broken up but their mnity maintained by placing them under the one and the same administration by the incorporation of the Burdwan and Presidency Divisions intno the new Province. I cannot conceive of a prayer more reasonable or moderate or one more consistent with the principles laid down by the Government itself. It is linguistic considerations that have led the Government to incorporate into the Bengal Presidency several Uria-speaking districts which had hither to formed part of the Central Provinces. If linguisticities are recognised by the Government as an inseperable bond of union in the case of the Uria-speaking population, what have the Bengalees done that they should not be so recognised in their case ? If Darjeeling is to form a part of the old Province on account of associations which are cherished by both Provinces, old and new, which should the associations of centuries which knit the Bengali-speaking raee together be ruthlessly surrendered P Reason, argument the most cherished associations sanctified by ages and the overwhelming opinion of a vast population are all on our side. It is the ifiat of authority irresponsive to our appeals that severs us. But we will have faith in that authority and the final judgment of English pnblic opinion, and in that faith we continue this agitation ; which, let it be clearly understood, is not sectional but universal is not confined to the upper classes but has gone down to the masses below, who had hither to felt little or no interest in political movements.