Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya

Having regard to the fact that the people of this country have little or no voice in its administration and that their representations to the Government do not receive due consideration, this Congress is of opinion that the Boycott Movement inaugurated in Bengal by way of protest against the Partition of that Provinces was and is legitimate.

Gentlemen, the resolution that has been put forward before you requires to be clearly understood. The Congress, in adopting any resolution, takes care that its meaning shall not be liable to mis-interpretation. It takes care to express itself in clear language so that all may know what it says and what it does not say. The Congress does express its approval of the adoption of Boycott in Bengal, under the peculiar circumstances in which Bengal was placed. What were those circumstances? All other constitutional means of bringing the grievances of the people before the Government have been adopted and have proved fruitless. The prayers of the people had been unheeded. Memorials and petitions to Government have had no effect. Then, as a last resort, Bengal declared a boycott of British goods, in order, as we most of us understood it last year, to invite the attention of the English people to the grievances under which they laboured. That was, and that is, gentlemen, I believe, accepted by a large number of our people, though, I know, not by all, as a legitimate way for drawing the attention of the Government under which we live, to the grievances which we labour under. Gentlemen, the Congress does not, I am certain- speaking certainly for a large number of delegates of different Provinces- I declare emphatically that the Congress does not associate itself with the remarks of Mr. Bipin Chandra Pal (cries of "yes," and "no, no," and "why not;" and great disorder prevailed). You will please hear me (a voice: "I want to know the reason"). You will hear the reason, I say again, I repeat it on behalf of a large number of delegates of the United Provinces (cries of "all, all") Thanks-and on behalf of a large number of delegates from other Provinces (cries of "no, no" and "yes, yes"). If it comes to a division, and I am prepared for a division, my words will be proved to be literally true (hear, hear). Let us proceed constitutionally ("speak for yourself"). There is no good crying "yes" or "no".

I say again that a large number of delegates from other Provinces (cries of "no, no" and "yes, yes")--the "yes yes", give the 'no' to your "no" no's" - a large number of delegates wish to dissociate themselves from the remarks of Mr. Pal that this boycott is not confined to British goods but that it also extends to the boycott of honorary offices and that it goes beyond. It is easy for people, who have taken that resolution, to talk like that, but the country as a whole, will repudiate that sentiment (cries of "no, no" and "yes, yes"). Now let it be clearly understood that in this Congress, there is a large body of delegates - you can count them if you like-who do not approve of any such boycott as Mr. Pal had proposed (cries of "no, no" and "yes, yes") while we again and clearly express our view that under the circumstances in which Bengal was placed, boycott was, and is legitimate. We do not go further and we hope the time will never arrive, when other Provinces will be driven to the necessity for extending the boycott. We hope and I live in hopes of better times - we are entitled to say so,-there is reason for it,-I live in hopes of better days for my country, knowing, as we do that we are placed under the British Government, knowing, as we do, that we cannot live, if we boycott everything that is English. I hope that the time will never come when the country will be driven, as a matter of protest or necessity, to extend boycott all over the country I hope that better days are in store for us, that our rulers will listen to the reasonable prayers that are submitted to them (cheers) in a reasonable spirit, and I hope and firmly believe that it is by these reasonable representations that we shall get all the reforms we hope for, and that we shall succeed in our efforts. (Cheers.)