What then does the hindu-mahomedan unity consist in and how can it be best promoted? the answer is
simple. it consists in our having a common purpose, a common goal and common sorrows. it is best
promoted by co-operating to reach the common goal, by sharing one another's sorrow and by mutual
toleration. a common goal we have. we wish this great country of ours to be greater and self-governing (4)
we have enough sorrows to share and to-day seeing that the mahomedans are deeply touched on the
question of khilafat and their case is just nothing can be so powerful for winning mahomedans friendship for
the hindu as to give his whole-hearted support to the mahomedan claim. no amount of drinking out of the
same cup or dining out of the same bowl can bind the two as this in the khilafat question
and mutual toleration is a necessity for all time and for all races. we cannot live in peace if the hindu will not
tolerate the mahomedan form of worship of god and his manners and customs or if the mahomedans will be
impatient of hindu idolatory, cow-worship. it is not necessary for toleration that i must approve of what i
tolerate. i heartily dislike drinking, meat eating and smoking, but i tolerate all these in hindus, mahomedans
and christians even as i expect them to tolerate my abstinence from all these, although they may dislike it. all
the quarrels between the hindus and the mahomedans have arisen from each wanting to force the other his
view
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