ব্রিটিশ আমলে পথের দাবি এবং রবীন্দ্র-শরৎ প্রসঙ্গ [সংস্করণ-১] | British Amale Pather Dabi Ebang Rabindra-sharat Prasanga [Ed. 1]

পথের দাবী ১১ ‘contains words which bring or attempt to bring into hatred or contempt and excite or attempt to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in British’ India,’ and on these grounds all copies of the book have been forfeited. The method and objective of thus putting a ban onan epoch-making book written by one of most thought- provoking ‘literateurs of modern Bengal have something in common with the working of the infamous Ordinance. In exercise of the power conferred by that Act, the bureaucracy from time to time makes a swoop on the patriotic youth of Bengal. About 200 youngmen of Bengal have been thus spirited from their field of activity. On the report supplied by the abject, unscrupulous hirelings of the underworld of State, these people have been calumniated as ‘outlaws’ and ‘conspirators’ and have been shut up within prison-cells, though their countrymen have the highest opinion of their character and ability. In the case of the political prisoners, the Secret Service are found to be final judges and arbiters. The same deprave class of people were, we think, set up as the tribunal for judging the merits or demerits of one of the best works in Bengali literature. All despotic Governments having behind them no moral sanction and depending for their existence only on bayonets and bullets have taken recourse to such measures, namely, detention without trial of patriotic citizens, proscription of thought-provoking books, deportation of keen thinkers and great writers. Butdo these measures lead to any success? The despotic Czars of Russia transported to the wilds of Siberia innumerable students, writers and philosophers. The finest literary artist of Russia, we mean