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a guest and was surprised to witness a spectacle so unusual. Through the joint efforts of Mr. Dutt and of myself, aided by the good sense of the audience, we succeeded at last in restoring order and resuming the business of the Conference. But what happened was to me a revelation, and it was the augury, the precursor of a similar scene enacted on a larger scale in the Surat Congress held a month later. The forces of disorder had been let loose, and by the authorities themselves, in a great and newly constituted pro- vince. The popular faith in constitutional methods was shaken; and young and ardent spirits, writhing under disappointment, but eager to serve their country, were led into the dangerous paths of lawlessness and violence, unrestrained by the voice of their elders.

It was in an atmosphere almost electric in its character that the Indian National Congress met at Surat in December, 1907. The venue of the Congress had to be changed from Nagpore to Surat, owing to demonstrations of rowdyism, which in the opinion of the Bombay leaders of the Congress rendered it undesirable to hold the Congress at Nagpore. But the disease was there, deep-rooted, having drawn its virus from the unhappy proceedings of the autho- rities in East Bengal. As I rose to speak there were signs of oppo- sition from the body of the hall. As a past President of the Congress, it was my duty to propose Sir Rash Behari Ghose as President. I had often before performed this duty with the general concurrence and approval of the Congress. It was not to be so this time. The events of the Midnapore Conference, in which I had a hand as the pacifier, were remembered, and repeated attempts were made to prevent me from proceeding with my speech. This was with me an unusual experience; for my appearance on a Congress platform as a speaker was usually the signal for hushed silence after the first signs of applause had subsided.

There was a strong party in favour of the election of Mr. Tilak as President, and they would not have Sir Rash Behari Ghose to preside over the Congress. Rather that the Congress should be broken up than that Sir Rash Behari should preside. That was the feeling of this party, and the Congress was broken up. Chairs and shoes and slippers were flung at the leaders, the platform was rushed—I remained on the platform, with some of my friends forming a guard around me. I was led along with Sir Pherozeshah Mehta and others to the tent behind, and the police cleared the pandal. Thus closed a memorable chapter in the history of the Congress, to be followed by a new departure.