Chapter 28The Indian National Congress: Moderates and · The Open Letters of July and December 1909

After the Surat debacle, Sri Aurobindo did not return to Bengal immediately, as he had originally intended; impelled by an inner urge, he undertook a political tour instead in the Bombay presidency and the Central Provinces.

There was no tour. Sri Aurobindo went to Poona with Lele and after his return to Bombay went to Calcutta. All the speeches he made were at this time (except those at Bombay and at Baroda) at places on his way wherever he stopped for a day or two.

The Amrita Bazar Patrika asked editorially: “ . . . but why were they (Aurobindo and others) pounced upon in this mysterious manner, handcuffed and then dragged before the Police Commissioner. . . . ”

No, tied with a rope;18 this was taken off on the protest of Bhupen Bose, the Congress Moderate leader.

* The hands were not tied, the cord was put round his waist, but before leaving the house it was removed on the remonstrance of Bhupendra Nath [Bose],19 the Moderate leader, who on hearing of the arrest had come to question the police about its motive.

* [Earth from Dakshineshwar was found in Sri Aurobindo’s room when the police searched his house in May 1908.]

The earth was brought to me by a young man connected with the Ramakrishna Mission and I kept it; it was there in my room when the police came to arrest me.

* The case commenced before the Alipore Magistrate’s Court on the 19th May, 1908 and continued intermittently for a 18 See Table 2, page 568. — Ed. 19 MS (dictated) Dutt