१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

ROHILKHAND
capital. Almost all citizens were formed into a militia.
The civil departments were also organised and almost all
the previous holders of offices were confirmed in their
posts. And the chief posts, occupied previously by
Europeans, were now given to Indians. The government
land-tax was assessed in the name of the Emperor of Delhi.
Courts of justice were opened as before and the former
officers were retained. In short, there was no break in
any department or its work on account of the Revolution,
except that, instead of Englishmen, the chief officers were
Indians. Khan Bahadur Khan personally wrote an ac-
count of the doings in his province to the Emperor, and the
following Proclamation was posted throughout Rohilkhand.
“ Residents of Hindusthan ! The long-looked-for festival
of Swaraj has arrived ! Are you going to accept or refuse
it ? Are you going to take advantage of this great op-
portunity or are you going to let it go out of your hands ?
Hindu and Mahomedan Brethren ! Be it known to all of
you that, if these English are permitted to remain in India,
they will butcher all and put an end to your religion !
The residents of Hindusthan have so long been deceived
by Englishmen, and have cut their necks with their own
swords. So, now we must repair this sin of treachery
to our country ! The Englishmen will try, now also, their
old work of deception ; they will try to incite the Hindus to
rise against Mussalmans, and the Mahomedans to rise
against the Hindus. But, Hindu Brethren ! do not fall
into their nets. It is hardly necessary to tell our clever
Hindu brethren that the English never keep their pro-
mises. They are adepts in the art of trickery and deceit-
ful imposture ! They have all along been trying to root
out all other religions on earth but their own ! Have they
not pushed aside the rights of adopted children ? Have
they not swallowed up the countries and kingdoms of our
Kings ! Who took away the kingdom of Nagpur ? Who
took away the kingdom of Lucknow ? Who has trampled
under foot both Hindus and Mahomedans ? Mussulmans,
if you revere the Koran, and Hindus, if you revere the
Published by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2014.
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