Back of the Book "The law of civic life was summed up in the early ages by what,, is called the 'golden rule' - "Do unto others as you would b done by," or, in the law of Christ, - "Love thy neighbour as thyself ." Long before Christ, in our books we find the injunction that the individual must try to realise the Indweller within himself as abiding equally in all other beings, and realising this he must treat brother-man as the revelation and the temple of,!: his God. This universal God-consciousness is the highest and strongest foundation of all social ethics and social service. The development of this consciousness is the ideal-end and much in politics as in civics. When I realise my God in the members of my family, my home becomes to me my temple. When I realise, in rare moments of beatitude, through His grace, my God in my neighbours, their homes equally become to me holy temples. To help to keep my home clean, and their homes clean to keep the streets on which these stand clean and free from all sorts of impurities, becomes then as much a religious duty as to sweep, scrub and brush the temple of the Lord is regarded by every devotee. This is the highest and the soundest basis of the civic sense and civic idealism."
Foreword In 2008, we decided to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Bipin Chandra Pal, the great orator, politician and journalist. In his memory this commemorative volume containing the Calcutta Municipal Gazette, his writings and other news items concerning him is being published.
KMC has taken an initiative to maintain the cultural heritage of the city which inter-alia includes remembrance of these great personalities to give a new direction to the future generation.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is proud of having a good connection with him through Sri Amal Home, who had been instrumental to bring out some of the finest writings of him on Civics and Civic Administration.
I thank the editor of this volume for taking hardship of cultivating the past and excavating a treasure-house.
Preface Bipin Chandra Pal, a man of many qualities emerged during our freedom struggle as a political thinker of great height. His difference of opinion with Mahatma Gandhi resulted him to establish himself as the first leader of common man of India.
His association with the then Calcutta Corporation as an Inspector of License Deptt for a short period developed a zeal for publishing his thoughts specially on Civics and Civic Administration in the pages of The Calcutta Municipal Gazette.
Our effort of proferring this bouquet of pages to the People at large may be rewarded if it can create interest. In this connection I thank the editor, who have endeavored to make it a grand success.
Book's Contents and Sample Pages
