Act VI, Scene 4
(Surat Congress. The Moderates, the Nationalists, the Revolutionaries and the members of the different parties. Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo, Rash Behari Ghosh, Surendranath Banerjee and many other leaders. A wild uproar arises over the Presidential election. At last they decide on their respective voting strength. Suren Banerjee, leader of the Moderate Party, stands up.)SUREN BANERJEE: I propose Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh to the chair.
TILAK (getting up): I propose Lala Lajpat Rai to the chair.
THE MODERATES (addressing Tilak): Sit down, please sit down.
THE NATIONALISTS: How dare you, you fellows? One more shout at our Tilak Maharaj and you get the lesson of your life.
THE MODERATES: Don’t yell. Your force is in your throat; ours in our arms.
(Chairs and tables are hurled about by the Moderates. The Nationalists, too, hit them back. Amid a great uproar there starts an exchange of blows.)
TILAK: I declare the Congress closed.
THE MODERATES: Shut up, you deliberate breaker of the Congress.
(One could read on the self-composed face of Sri Aurobindo his poignant thought.)
AUROBINDO: Alas, is this the India of my dream?
(The police come in to restore order. In silence Tilak, Aurobindo and some of the leaders leave the spot.)
