ANXIETY FOR GANDHI

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 42, 19 February 1943, Page 3

ANXIETY FOR GANDHI

Heart Action Reported To Be Feebler

RUPEE RING ACTIVITIES Rec. 2.30 p.m. BOMBAY, Feb. 18. Anxiety concerning Gandhi's condition deepens. A medical bulletin states that his heart action is feebler. The big "business backers of Congress—the great rupee ring—are scared that the great Gandhi might die, and in that event they fear strikes and industrial dislocation 'will affect the biggest boom in India for years, says the Bombay correspondent of the Daily Mail. These big businessmen, with cold cynicism, are urging the Government to release Gandhi. They gambled on Britain's defeat when they backed Gandhi last August, but when the tide of war turned in Britain's favour, they tried to forget the "quit India" resolution. Their sincerity has been discredited. It is revealed they do not support those believing India should receive immediate freedom, so Gandhi, hitherto a profitable investment of the rupee ring, starves at Poona against the wishes of his biggest backers. A conference of the standing committee of all India newspaper editors passed a resolution urging the Government to release Gandhi immediately and unconditionally, to enable him to help in the. restoration of peaceful conditions. The actingeditor of the Calcutta Statesman dissented. Masani, a prominent ex-member of the Congress Socialist party, and 43 others, were arrested whilst parading the streets of Poona carrying banners on which were slogans demanding the release of Gandhi. Four new official members of the Government of • India have been sworn in. The three members who resigned during the past few days have issued a statement confirming that they resigned over the Government's attitude toward Gandhi's fast. "We wish to place on record," they said, "our warm appreciation of the courtesy and consideration the Viceroy has extended to us throughout the period during which we had the privilege of being associated with him in the Government of the country."