PLAN SUSPENDED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 36, 22 November 1940, Page 2

PLAN SUSPENDED

NO WAR COUNCIL IN INDIA. VICEROY REVIEWS POSITION. (United Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, November 20. In a statement to the Indian Legislature, the Viceroy (the Marquess of Linlithgow) qjmounced the decision not to proceed with the expansion of the Executive Council or the establishment of a War Advisory Council, at the present moment. The Viceroy briefly recapitulated the course of events leading up to tlife present position. Ho recalled the - declaration by th<* British Government of its sympathy with the Indian desire for self-government subject to the fulfilment of obligations which Britain’s long association with India had imposed upon her. He reminded the Legislature of the concern which the King felt that full weight should be given to the views of minorities in the growing scheme, and said that the British Government could not contemplate the transference of present responsibilities for the peace and wefare of India to any system of government w r hose authority was directly denied by large rand powerful elements of India’s, national life.' In order to secure these “indis-pensably-linked objects,” it was proposed to set up, after the war, on a basis of friendly agreement, a body representative of all the powerful elements of India’s national life to devise the framework of a. new constitution.

The Viceroy spoke of the endeavour, to associate Indian public opinion) more closely w r ith the central Government of India through inviting Indian political leaders to join the Executive Council and the proposal to' establish a War Advisory Council. “Outside India, these proposals, both in. the immediate and l in the larger ultimate aspects, have been welcomed as liberal in conception and representing the best practical solution of the existing differences. In India itself, too, they have met with the support of a large body of opinion. In the more immediate aspect, however, namely, the expansion of my Executive Council, I have not secured the response which I hoped from the political leaders in India.. The reasons for which they have been unable to . accept the proposals of the British Government are conflicting and, indeed, in some ways, mutually destructive!'” Proposals Not Withdrawn. “However that may be, the effect is that the major political parties concerned are not, ini the present eircum- . stances, prepared to take advantage of the opportunity offered them by the British Government. I note this conclusion with sincere regret. The proposals in question would place real power and real responsibility in, Indian; hands, and their acceptance would afford the most helpful contribution which Indian political leaders could make at this critical time toward the preservation of Indian unity and an agjreed constitutional settlement" for! the future.

“The British Government does not propose to withdraw them, and it is still prepared to give effect to them as soon as it is convinced that a. sufficient degree of representative support is forthcoming, but as that degree of support has evidently not yet manifested itself, the British Government has decided that I would not be justified in proceeding with: the expansion of my Executive'Council'dr the estalp; lishment of a War Advisory Council at present.”—British Offical Wifeless.,