1 THE VICEROY AT DELHI, 633
2 The Viceroy congratulated the members of the Corporation upon the
3 success of their efforts to improve the sanitation of their city and its water-
4 supply. The duty of seeing to this was one specially incumbent upon
5 Indian municipalities, for not a month passed without bearing witness to the
6 fatal results which followed the neglect of this obligation.
7 His Excellency expressed the satisfaction with which he had listened to
8 the vigorous condemnation by the municipality of those religious animosities
9 in Delhi which at one time promised to gain for its neighbourhood an
10 unenviable notoriety. He rejoiced to see that the leading men of both
11 parties had, since the year in which these discreditable incidents occurred,
12 united for the purpose of maintaining harmony and peace, and that their
13 efforts had been so far successful, The Government had a right to expect
14 that all Honorary Magistrates and members of municipalities would exert
15 themselves for this purpose, and trusted that, as holders of honourable offices
16 under Government, they would recognize the obligation which rested upon
17 them. “These disputes” observed Lord Lansdowne, “are a survival of
18 intolerance which should have no place in a civilized community. Govern-
19 ment can do something to repress the commotions to which they have
20 given rise, and you may depend upon our doing our duty without flinching,
21 should this become necessary.” “It is, however,” His Excellency pointed out,
22 “upon the influence of public opinion, rather than upon that of repressive
23 measures, that I should much prefer to rely; and I believe that, if that
24 Opinion is wisely directed by those who have the right to lead it, and if
25 the authors of these disturbances are made plainly to perceive that they are
26 offending not only the law of the country, but the honest convictions of the
27 great majority of their fellow-citizens, these regretable incidents will entire-
28 ly cease to distigure the records of your city.”
29 We have taken occasion to record at some length the views of His
30 Excellency the Governor-General on the subject of religious and tribal
31 ditferences among the natives of our country, with the twofold object of
32 showing, first, how severely our rulers reprobate quarrels among ourselves,
33 and how sincerely they wish us to unite in every cause that is just and
34 really conducive to the happiness and well-being of the people, and,
35 secondly, of impressing on our countrymen that, however actuated some of
36 them may unluckily be by misguided sentiments, Government will not
37 allow itself to be slothful in doing its duty in regard to their conduct, and
38 will not be found backward in bringing the offenders to justice.
39 Jt is the duty of the leaders of public opinion in this country to cement
40 friendly relations between the two great communities of India—the Hindu
41 and the Mahomedan,—and, as the main result of a settled Government
42 and enlightend rule, itis the right of those in authority to have the satisfac-
43 tion of seeing that mutual good-will and confidence among the different
44 races of India, and the cordial relations existing betsveen them, tend not only
45 to promote the happiness of the people, but make them vie with each other
46 for the foremost place in devotion to the Crown. Where communities are
47 thus united in fidelity to the Crown, where race jealousies and factious
48 hostilities have been subordinated to the more manly and more noble
49 qualities of patriotism, and a desire for concord and harmony among the
50 people, and a healthy emulation of all that is excellent in our daily dealings
51 in life, there the blessings of heaven will ensue and make the people happy
52 and prosperous. It has been rightly said that loyalty to the rulers is a
53 plant of indigenous and perennial growth in the Panjab, and it is to be
54 hoped that by the effectual effacement of hostile differences, and by assiduous
55 application te the cause of social reform, political enterprise and commercial
56 The views of the
57 Government of India
58 in regard tio these dis-
59 Sensions
60 Duties of the natives
61 of India to the Govern-
62 ment and their own
63 countrymen,
64 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com