stice. The House of
Commons, the House of Lords, Mr. Montagu, the Viceroy of India, everyone
of them know what the feeling of India is on this Khilafat question and
on that of the Punjab; the debates in both the Houses of Parliament, the
action of Mr. Montagu and that of the Viceroy have demonstrated to you
completely that they are not willing to give the justice which is
India's due and which she demands. I suggest that our leaders have got
to find a way out of this great difficulty and unless we have made
ourselves even with the British rulers in India and unless we have
gained a measure of self-respect at the hands of the British rulers in
India, no connection, and no friendly intercourse is possible between
them and ourselves. I, therefore, venture to suggest this beautiful and
unanswerable method of non-co-operation.

IS IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL?

I have been told that non-co-operation is unconstitutional. I venture to
deny that it is unconstitutional. On the contrary, I hold that
non-co-operation is a just and religious doctrine; it is the inherent
right of every human being and it is perfectly constitutional. A great
lover of the British Empire has said that under the British constitution
even a successful rebellion is perfectly constitutional and he quotes
historical instances, which I cannot deny, in support of his claim. I
do not claim any constitutionality for a rebellion successful or
otherwise, so long as that rebellion means in the ordinary sense of the
term, what it does mean namely wresting justice by violent means. On the
contrary, I have said it repeatedly to my countrymen that violence
whatever end it may serve in Europe, will never serve us in India. My
brother and friend Shaukat Ali believes in methods of violence; and if
it was in his power to draw the sword against the British Empire, I know
that he has got the courage of a man and he has got also the wisdom to
see that he should offer that battle to the British Empire. But because
he recognises as a true soldier that means of violence are not open to
India, he sides with me accepting my humble assistance and pledges his
word that so long as I am with him and so long as he believes in the
doctrine, so long will he not harbour even the idea of violence against
any single Englishman or any single man on earth. I am here to tell you
that he has been as true as his word and has kept it religiously. I am
here to bear witness that he has been following out