ALLAHABAD: “I do not want you to surrender in your views to those held by others, but I would certainly like a spirit of accommodation to pervade,” observed Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru [a pro-independence figure] delivering an address at a meeting of the Progressive Club, Allahabad, yesterday [Dec 8]. Munshi Israr Saran presided.

Sir Tej appealed to the audience to maintain freedom of their expression and thought in the views held by them and not subscribe blindly to one or other thought that was thrust on them by any party or outside agency. For himself he said he agreed differences and disagreements prevailed at present in the country, but he did not think them to be unbridgeable.

These differences, he felt could be accommodated, without surrender on the part of any party, by placing certain internal safeguards in the constitution. But what those safeguards should be, he said, was the question which each of us should … decide ourselves and think ourselves. He strongly appealed to the audience to come forward and express themselves in this matter.

Sir Tej felt that if Hindus and Muslims were not prepared to accommodate each other, they would unwittingly submit to the British to give a constitution to us of their liking….

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2019