Lady Courtney invited Rabindranath, Editior of Contemporary Review George Peabody Gooch [1873-1947], a famous workers leader Sydney James Webb [1859-1947], and his wife Febian Workers Leader Martha Beatrice Webb [1858-1943], in a Lunch on 15th July.
On 19th July, a discussion was held in House of Lords on Amritsar Massacre. in almost all the lectures the behavior of Dyer towards the Indians was supported which obviously expressed the attitude of the British administration. But a letter was published in The Modern Review [Sep/348] written by Rabindranath and non-resident Indians in England;
" We, the undersigned, approach you, not as the representatives of any political pary in India but as those who feel anxious to establish a bond of humanity between our people and yours founded upon mutual respect. We believe that unless there is some great moral principle to guide our political relationship no mere adjustment of the machine of administration from outside wil give us anything of which either of us can be proud.Therefore what we desire is to see the best ideal of the British people - their love of freedom and fairplay - finding full access to their Govt. of India, making it natural for the Indians to offer to it their spontaneous co-operation. It is needless to say that any act on the part of our rulers in India or utterance of the membe of Parliament in this country which supports the doctrine that India is held by the force of arms makes our people painfully conscious of the indignity of their position in the British Empire.We strongly believe that such a state of things is demoralizing, to say the best, both for the Governors and the governed. We are deeply thankful to those farsighted statesman in this country who tried to give expression to the moral judgement of the best nature of your people in the late debates in Parliament in connection with the unfortunate incidents in the Punjab. But we are certain on the other hand that the language and the attitude of a considerable number of members of both the House s as well as the result of the debate in the House of Lords, will cause a bitter feeling of disappointment al over India.We do not believe that repressive measures, however ruthless, can ever save the Empire from the mischief born of an openly defiant resentment or feeling of desperation driven into the heart of the people. This is our only excuse for taking this opportunity of sending to you this letter earnestly urging you to take steps to allay the spirit of mutual distrust perilously growing stronger everyday. In this critical time the Indian Government needs at its helm a statesman who has a pesonality great in political wisdom and an exalted sense of righteousness. and the name which immediately occurs to us in this connection is that of the Secretary of State for India. Mr.Montagu, who has earned the best claim to our gratitude and affection at a time of great crsis, and whosee service to his motherland will, we are sure, be recognized in the history of the British Empire."
But This letter of Rabindranath was not appreciated by some of the then Indian leaders.
On 19th July, a discussion was held in House of Lords on Amritsar Massacre. in almost all the lectures the behavior of Dyer towards the Indians was supported which obviously expressed the attitude of the British administration. But a letter was published in The Modern Review [Sep/348] written by Rabindranath and non-resident Indians in England;
" We, the undersigned, approach you, not as the representatives of any political pary in India but as those who feel anxious to establish a bond of humanity between our people and yours founded upon mutual respect. We believe that unless there is some great moral principle to guide our political relationship no mere adjustment of the machine of administration from outside wil give us anything of which either of us can be proud.Therefore what we desire is to see the best ideal of the British people - their love of freedom and fairplay - finding full access to their Govt. of India, making it natural for the Indians to offer to it their spontaneous co-operation. It is needless to say that any act on the part of our rulers in India or utterance of the membe of Parliament in this country which supports the doctrine that India is held by the force of arms makes our people painfully conscious of the indignity of their position in the British Empire.We strongly believe that such a state of things is demoralizing, to say the best, both for the Governors and the governed. We are deeply thankful to those farsighted statesman in this country who tried to give expression to the moral judgement of the best nature of your people in the late debates in Parliament in connection with the unfortunate incidents in the Punjab. But we are certain on the other hand that the language and the attitude of a considerable number of members of both the House s as well as the result of the debate in the House of Lords, will cause a bitter feeling of disappointment al over India.We do not believe that repressive measures, however ruthless, can ever save the Empire from the mischief born of an openly defiant resentment or feeling of desperation driven into the heart of the people. This is our only excuse for taking this opportunity of sending to you this letter earnestly urging you to take steps to allay the spirit of mutual distrust perilously growing stronger everyday. In this critical time the Indian Government needs at its helm a statesman who has a pesonality great in political wisdom and an exalted sense of righteousness. and the name which immediately occurs to us in this connection is that of the Secretary of State for India. Mr.Montagu, who has earned the best claim to our gratitude and affection at a time of great crsis, and whosee service to his motherland will, we are sure, be recognized in the history of the British Empire."
But This letter of Rabindranath was not appreciated by some of the then Indian leaders.
