{"pages":{"373":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00397-366478e8ea7f221b5e84.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"SOURCE MATERIALS","box":{"x":456,"y":128,"width":249,"height":20}},{"text":"373","box":{"x":987,"y":134,"width":56,"height":18}},{"text":"180. RAJA SIR MAHARAJ SINGH'S PRESIDENTIAL","box":{"x":169,"y":208,"width":824,"height":27}},{"text":"ADDRESS TO THE ALL-INDIA CONFERENCE OF INDIAN","box":{"x":126,"y":240,"width":912,"height":28}},{"text":"CHRISTIANS (1943 A.D.)","box":{"x":381,"y":275,"width":367,"height":31}},{"text":"In his address to the A.I.C.I.C. conference of 1943, Raja Sir Maha-","box":{"x":210,"y":331,"width":782,"height":28}},{"text":"raj Singh, the first Governor of Bombay following Independence,","box":{"x":173,"y":355,"width":820,"height":32}},{"text":"affirms the commitment of the Indian Christian community to the","box":{"x":168,"y":380,"width":823,"height":29}},{"text":"nationalist cause and pleads for fair treatment from the majority","box":{"x":172,"y":405,"width":820,"height":31}},{"text":"communities. Cited in Indian Witness, Vol. 73, No. 12, March 25,","box":{"x":171,"y":431,"width":819,"height":29}},{"text":"1943, p. 91.","box":{"x":172,"y":458,"width":140,"height":22}},{"text":"We are behind no other community in our burning desire for a","box":{"x":165,"y":514,"width":873,"height":35}},{"text":"self-governing India in the immediate future. We are nationalists","box":{"x":126,"y":542,"width":912,"height":32}},{"text":"as much as any one else. We have no sympathy with the existing","box":{"x":125,"y":571,"width":915,"height":36}},{"text":"ideology of Empire or its attendent evil, namely, the colour bar.","box":{"x":126,"y":597,"width":917,"height":35}},{"text":"While we are Christians and proud to be such so far as our faith is","box":{"x":122,"y":625,"width":918,"height":32}},{"text":"concerned, in all other matters we are Indians first and Indians","box":{"x":125,"y":653,"width":914,"height":32}},{"text":"last. There is no antithesis between religion and patriotism, for a","box":{"x":126,"y":681,"width":914,"height":36}},{"text":"true Christian must be a good patriot. Indian Christians are","box":{"x":126,"y":710,"width":914,"height":32}},{"text":"ready to place their country above communal considerations. In","box":{"x":127,"y":738,"width":914,"height":32}},{"text":"more than one public statement they have offered to part with","box":{"x":123,"y":767,"width":917,"height":34}},{"text":"separate electorates and to ask for no special privileges. Their","box":{"x":126,"y":795,"width":914,"height":34}},{"text":"aim is to live in peace with both their Hindu and Muslim fellow","box":{"x":125,"y":822,"width":912,"height":32}},{"text":"citizens. Indian Christians wish to take their full share in the","box":{"x":123,"y":848,"width":915,"height":32}},{"text":"political and civic life of the country. Many including myself are","box":{"x":123,"y":878,"width":915,"height":36}},{"text":"members of the All-India Liberal Federation, a political body","box":{"x":120,"y":906,"width":918,"height":36}},{"text":"which welcomes adherents from every community and creed. The","box":{"x":118,"y":932,"width":921,"height":35}},{"text":"Congress is also composed of persons of different faiths and has","box":{"x":122,"y":961,"width":915,"height":32}},{"text":"Indian Christian members. So have the non-party political confe-","box":{"x":123,"y":990,"width":915,"height":36}},{"text":"rences. We should not forgo any opportunity of serving our","box":{"x":126,"y":1018,"width":912,"height":36}},{"text":"country and through our country our community in being active","box":{"x":124,"y":1047,"width":914,"height":36}},{"text":"members of legislatures or in joining political associations, attending","box":{"x":122,"y":1074,"width":918,"height":34}},{"text":"political meetings and, above all, as a bridge community doing our","box":{"x":125,"y":1103,"width":915,"height":35}},{"text":"utmost to narrow the gulf specially in times of communal tension","box":{"x":123,"y":1131,"width":915,"height":32}},{"text":"between the two principal communities of India. At the same","box":{"x":125,"y":1159,"width":915,"height":31}},{"text":"time we earnestly request our Hindu and Muslim compatriots to","box":{"x":126,"y":1187,"width":912,"height":34}},{"text":"treat us and specially our poorer brethren with justice and even","box":{"x":125,"y":1215,"width":915,"height":35}},{"text":"generosity. That surely should be the attitude of the strong to-","box":{"x":122,"y":1241,"width":915,"height":36}},{"text":"wards the weak. All of us here have intimate friends in other","box":{"x":125,"y":1269,"width":914,"height":32}},{"text":"communities and we appreciate these pleasant relations. As a","box":{"x":123,"y":1299,"width":917,"height":32}},{"text":"notable instance of good will I may cite the case recently reported","box":{"x":127,"y":1325,"width":912,"height":34}},{"text":"to me of a donation of Rs. 10,000 made by a Hindu gentleman of","box":{"x":129,"y":1354,"width":912,"height":35}},{"text":"Allahabad for scholarships to Indian Christian students. If posts","box":{"x":120,"y":1381,"width":919,"height":35}},{"text":"under Government or local bodies are obtainable only on the","box":{"x":127,"y":1409,"width":912,"height":36}},{"text":"grounds of merits we can have no objection but where, as so often","box":{"x":123,"y":1438,"width":919,"height":36}},{"text":"happens, appointments are at least in part made on communal","box":{"x":127,"y":1465,"width":914,"height":32}},{"text":"considerations, Indian Christians feel that as the largest group","box":{"x":130,"y":1492,"width":911,"height":38}}]}}}