Sri Aurobindo
Karmayogin
Political Writings and Speeches — 1909-1910
Karmayogin: A Weekly Review
Saturday 20th November 1909 — No.20
Facts and Opinions
Pretentious Shams
In an unguarded moment our friend and India's, the Statesman of Chowringhee, has for once blurted out the truth.
While, in common with other Anglo-Indian papers, it descants in strains of dithyrambic eloquence on the magnitude of the reforms the Government in its deep, wise and impossibly sagacious generosity has given and this thrice blessed country has been privileged to receive, it inadvertently admits that the Legislative Councils, as they hitherto existed, were pretentious shams.
As we point out in our article this week, the new Councils differ in no way from the old except in being more pretentious.
The old were shams because they gave no control to the people while affecting to listen and give consideration to the popular voice, which was, as a matter of fact, only heard to be ignored,— except in very occasional instances which only accentuated the sense of dependence on the caprice of the official governors.
The new Councils are of precisely the same character, and the only differences of importance are the non-official majority — so carefully arranged as to secure a permanent popular minority,— the increased number of the elected members, and the facilities given for debate.
With a permanent popular minority and the denial of all control, this is mere heaping of gilt on the surface of the toy.
The Indian papers have recognised the nugatory character of the reforms and the tone of cold dissatisfaction in their comments is very marked.
When the Councils begin to work, even the Moderates will realise that the new Councils are not only void of any true principle of popular representation and control, but injurious to the interests of the people.