ON HIS 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY LET US REMEMBER DESHBANDHU CHITTARANJAN DAS' SPEECH IN THE CALCUTTA HIGH COURT IN DEFENCE OF AUROBINDO GHOSH WHO WAS CONVICTED IN THE ALIPORE BOMB CASE, A DEFENCE THAT SUCCEEDED IN SECURING THE ACQUITTAL OF THE SEER

ON HIS 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY LET US REMEMBER DESHBANDHU CHITTARANJAN DAS' SPEECH IN THE CALCUTTA HIGH COURT IN DEFENCE OF AUROBINDO GHOSH WHO WAS CONVICTED IN THE ALIPORE BOMB CASE, A DEFENCE THAT SUCCEEDED IN SECURING THE ACQUITTAL OF THE SEER

My appeal to you, therefore, is that a man like this who is being charged with the offences imputed to him stands not only before the bar in this Court but stands before the bar of the High Court of History and my appeal to you is this that long after this controversy is hushed in silence, long after this turmoil, this agitation ceases, long after he is dead and gone, he will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, as the prophet of nationalism and the lover of humanity. Long after he is dead and gone his words will be echoed and re-echoed not only in India, but across distant seas and lands. Therefore, I say that the man in his position is not only standing before the bar of this Court but before the bar of the High Court of History. The time has come for you, sir, to consider your judgment and for you, gentlemen, to consider your verdict.