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

ADDING FUEL TO FIRE
instead of fresh gifts of money being showered on Temples
and Musjids as when there was Swaraj—even those Inams
and the money remaining yet in their hands were being
taken away forcibly from the temples and mosques. And
there is no wonder that, seeing that there was no protec-
tion for their religions, the Hindus and the Moslems alike
were pained and grieved. Nor is it to be wondered at that
the blood of both the Hindus and the Mahomedans boiled
with rage at being openly described in official and private
documents as "heathens," a peculiarly abusive epithet.
And yet, there was every indication that the Feringhis,
who cared more for the increase of commerce than of the
Christian religion and were the devotees more of Mammon
than of Christ—the Prince of Poverty, would therefore
desist from attacking the religious prejudices of the people
by open violence.
As if with the express purpose of proving the falsity
of such an idea, the English in the insolence born of
unbridled power very soon began an open and violent
interference with the religions of Hindusthan. Even while
efforts were being made to pass in Calcutta the law for
the abolition of suttee, public opinion in India began to
suspect deeper designs on the part of the Government.
Even before this law for the abolition of suttee had
passed through the Councils of Calcutta, the prisoners
were prevented from observing their religions. A few
days more saw the passing of the Widow Remarriage Act,
in the face of the loud protests of the Hindus. No sooner
had this law been passed than Lord Canning expressed
his opinion that the law for the abolition of polygamy was
to be brought into the Legislative Council, and he exerted
himself to pass it as speedily as possible through the
council. The question we have to answer here is not
whether the law which the Company was going to intro-
duce was good or bad. What we want, in this place, to
say is that neither Hindus nor Mahomedans could be
certain as to where the attack on their religious customs
Published by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2014.
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