Lord Lytton’s remarks

Lahore, Saturday, August 23, 1924

THE great demonstration held in Calcutta on Tuesday to protest against Lord Lytton’s remarks about Indian women in a recent Dacca speech shows more clearly than anything else could have done the depth, intensity and universality of the feeling of indignation which those remarks have caused. The demonstration was originally intended to be held in the Town Hall which, two decades ago, had witnessed a similar gathering in connection with a similarly offensive speech by a more exalted authority, but could not be held there owing to the immensity of the crowd. As many as four meetings had to be held in the Calcutta Maidan to give suitable expression to India’s feeling in the matter. These meetings were appropriately presided over by Sarojini Naidu, perhaps the most gifted and distinguished member of the gender specially affected by Lord Lytton’s remarks, while among those who took part in it were not only the leaders of Bengal but all-India leaders like Pandit Motilal Nehru, Sir PC Roy and Mr CR Das. Some of the speeches made on the occasion were as strong as any ever made in this country in connection with a similar matter. Naidu, in particular, rose to the pitch of animated indignation and, while condemning Lord Lytton’s speech in the most vehement language she could find, called upon His Lordship in the name of the womanhood of the world and of his own mother, sister and wife to take back his words. How strongly she felt on the subject is shown by the fact that she was prepared even to do without the Reforms rather than that Indian womanhood should be slandered with impunity by a Briton, howsoever high may be the position he holds.