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

SIGNS OF COMING UPHEAVAL 187
Major. The Bengal Volunteer Corps came into existence at
the time of the Calcutta Congress. For the Congress and the
National Exhibition connected with it, a large body of volun-
teers had been necessary and the writer had been entrusted
by the Congress authorities with the organisation and training
of the Corps. Though the Corps was a peaceful and unarmed
body, military discipline and training in military drill was
imparted to the volunteers and they were also given a semi-
military uniform. After the Congress was over, the Volunteer
Corps was maintained and branches were opened all over the
province. In this arduous work, Jatin had played an important
rôle. The officers and rank and file of the Volunteer Corps
therefore took a leading part in the funeral demonstrations.
In this connection the attitude of the Mahatma was
inexplicable. Evidently the martyrdom of Jatin Das which
had stirred the heart of the country did not make any impres-
sion on him. The pages of Young India ordinarily filled with
observations on all political events and also on topics like
health, diet, etc., had nothing to say about the incident. A
follower of the Mahatma who was also a close friend of the
deceased, wrote to him inquiring as to why he had said nothing
about the event. The Mahatma replied to the effect that he
had purposely refrained from commenting, because if he had
done so, he would have been forced to write something
unfavourable.
The news of the self-immolation of Jatin Das was received
in Delhi when the Assembly was in session. For a moment
it looked as if the heart of the Government throbbed. But
the throbbing was a momentary phenomenon. What emotion
was roused at the time was soon drowned in official diplomacy
and duplicity. The Government promised to take up the
question of the treatment of political prisoners but after a
great deal of deliberation and delay, when the public excite-
ment had somewhat abated, they finally produced their
proposals. It was then found that the remedy suggested was
worse than the disease. At the outset the Government
refused to class anyone as a political prisoner—so that the
principal demand of the Lahore hunger-strikers was turned
down. The Government proposed instead that prisoners