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darkness ensues light.
Dawn succeeds night.
But,
brethren, you are wrapt in such heedless slumber that
you seem to be without life and daily become more and
more loyal and obedient to the British, failing to understand how they are treating you.
Soldiers of Indiali.e. Brave Sikhs, Punjabi
Mussulmen, tiger-hearted Rajputs, renomed Pathans of Pashaur and the Frontier, honoured Afridis and Afghans, who serve in the British Army! With what object in
view do you fight for the British ? Is it not a shame
that, in the time of battle, you are called upon to bear the brunt of the fight while the British Troops are placed in protected situations! (Is it not a reproach)
that when you receive only nine rupees a month you have
to provide your own uniforms, good food and also save
money to send to your wives and families ? The white
troops (on the other hand) receive meat and bread three
times a day and a good uniform in addition. All these
are supplied to them by the Government. Further, they
receive pay of forty-five rupees per month and after
three years service they go home and obtain a bonus of
£30 in a lump sum.
Your eyes
O wretched Hindustani Soldiers!
have lost their lustre through your living on dal and
charpatties; your faces have lost the freshness of good
health for how can you obtain good food when you have to
provide your own uniform out of a monthly wage of 9
Continuous duty, while hungry and starving
has
rupees.