भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

converted minds of the above mentioned class of Indian people who were educated in ‘English Schools’ and who were earnestly busy serving their British masters, could never grasp this secret and crooked ruse of British diplomacy. On the contrary, being deluded by the preposterous proclamation of the Queen, who mad with victory, had the audacity to ascend to the imperial throne of India, these simple gulls of Indian leaders hastened to glorify that ‘proclamation’ as the Indian Magna Carta in press and public meetings. How absurd and foolish it is to compare that original “Magna Carta” in English history, with which the English people, after fighting successfully with their King, had forced him to concede to them their fundamental civic rights, with this deceitful and profane ‘proclamation of the Queen’, which tightened the shackles of slavery on the Indian hands and feet even more forcibly than before, only gilding them outwardly so as to pass them on as ornaments. 1119. But in my Background to my ‘Autobiography’ I have already dealt, at greater length, and from the point of view of the Indian people, with the period of Indian history, after the temporary pacification of the War of Liberation of 1857 was achieved and the foundation of the British administration in India was firmly secured. Hence, it need not be repeated here! The Peculiar Character of the period the Political Movements of the Loyalists 1120. The peculiarity of the period following the pacification of the national rising of 1857—i.e., roughly speaking from 1860 to 1900—is that, it is dominated by a nationwide movement under the leadership of those who believed that India would once again see national prosperity and development only by remaining in the British empire and she must achieve it that way alone! Hence, this period can be generally called an age of the loyalist politicians. However, even in this age of avowed loyal politicians, the age-old tradition of heroism, which vehemently advocated armed revolt to free the motherland from British domination, was not altogether extinct! It did flare up secretly or even openly, in some daring risings! Even those momentary explosions of that traditional heroism did not fail to convulse the British administration in India and to excite and inspire the Indian people at least for the time being. Only two illustrations of these armed revolts would suffice. The Hindu rising under the leadership of Ramsingh Kuka in Punjab during 1870-74 A.D. against the British and the Muslims