CIVIL WAR THREAT IN INDIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 248, 1 August 1946, Page 5

CIVIL WAR THREAT IN INDIA

“DIRECT ACTION” BY MOSLEMS MR JINNAH MAY HESITATE (N.Z. Press Association —C(>pyright.) (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 31., The Moslem League’s Working Committee has called off all Moslems to observe August 16 as “direct action” day, suspending all business and holding public meetings affd demonstrations against the British proposals.

India Office officials believe that Mr M. A. Jifinah (Moslem League president) will hesitate before plunging India into a blood bath which would set the country back 100 - years. The “direct action” decided on by the Moslem League and .All India Council could mean, civ.il war and that would make Pakistan more impossible than it is now. .

What Mr Jinnah has done is to upset. what the British achieved when is persuaded the two main communities to draw up a future constitution. Britain must begin all over again and no doubt Mr Jinnah hopes to gain- Pakistan in fresh discussions. But the British Mission’s rejection of Pakistan because it is economically impractical is not likely to be changed. There is little doubt that the Moslem League could, if it -.wanted* start a civil war. There are‘SO,ooo,ooo Moslems in British India and more than 190,000-000 Hindus, but Moslems generally are regarded as tougher fighting men. The responsibility for maintaining law and order in British India rests on the Governments, of 11 provinces eight of which are governed by Congress Premiers and Cabinets and the remaining three by Moslem Premiers and Cabinets. The number of British troops in India is no known,-blit the strength before the wa,r was 60,000. ’ Mr Jinnah accused the . Congress Party of organising and drilling to launch a mass civil; disobedience struggle, says Reuter’s Bombay correspondent. He refused to amplify the Moslem League’s: resolution rejecting the Cabinet Mission’s plans for India and advocating direct action.' He invited the questioners to ask members of Congress what their direct action plans were. “When you get their answer I will give you mine.” he said. \

No Declaration of War

Mr Jinnah accused members of Congress of enrolling members of the I.N.A. and sending them throughout the country. The Moslem League’sdirect action resolution was not a declaration of war against anybody. It was merely a statement about the proposed steps for self-preservation and self-defence. “We have done our best. Any further initiative must come from the. British Government or from Congress,”~hc declared. Mr Jinnah indicated that the door was not closed to further negotiations and confirmed the report that the Viceroy (Lord Wavell) was seeking to arrange an interim Government. The New Delhi radio reports that Mr C. Rajagopalachariar, a Congress leader, in a speech said: “Mr Jinnah’s leadership has again failed. He dreads putting his feet on the shore of constructive responsibility. If the Moslems unfortunately insist that home rule must begin with’ugly demonstrations and conflicts, we must face the difficulty. The Moslem demand for Executive Council parity, and thus placing the majorities in a minority position, is sheer cantankerousness.” i