द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

110 THE INDIAN STRUGGLE
respected leader of the Hindu Mahasabha, through whose
influence thousands of non-Hindus, including Moslems and
Christians, were converted to Hinduism. About this time,
the Swami was endeavouring to reconvert the Malkana
Rajputs who had originally been Hindus but had subsequently
embraced the Islamic faith and this attempt caused annoyance
to many of the Moslem leaders.
While the communal storm was brewing in India, the Ali
brothers remained true to their nationalist creed. Moulana
Mohammed Ali, the younger brother, was elected to preside
over the annual session of the Congress at Coconada in
Madras Presidency. There was no heated controversy as at
Gaya and the deliberations took place in an atmosphere of
extreme cordiality. There was, however, a breeze over the
Hindu-Moslem question which fortunately did not develop
into a storm. Deshbandhu Das had drawn up a Hindu-
Moslem Pact for settlement of the communal question in
Bengal and he desired the Congress to put the seal of approval
on it. The Coconada Congress, however, did not do so and
the Pact was rejected on the alleged ground that it showed
partiality for the Moslems and violated the principles of
Nationalism. Another Pact which had been drawn up by
Lala Lajpat Rai and Dr. M. A. Ansari for the settlement of
the communal question was referred by the Coconada Con-
gress to the All-India Congress Committee for consideration.
These pacts indicated that the better minds among the Con-
gress leaders had begun to realise the possibility of a communal
rift and the necessity for making some sort of settlement
before the breach widened. But sufficiently speedy or suffi-
ciently drastic action was not taken, with the result that the
differences did become more acute and grave and the country
had to face a communal storm as soon as the political tension
created by the Swaraj Party subsided after the death of
Deshbandhu Das in June, 1925.
From the Nationalist point of view, the year 1923 had begun
badly but it ended well. In January, there was division and
depression. In December, there was hope and confidence.
Despite signs of communal disturbance here and there, the
political barometer had once again begun to rise. In England