POLITICS IN INDIA

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22850, 25 October 1939, Page 7

POLITICS IN INDIA

MR GANDHI’S PART

.“PRIME MOVER” IN CONGRESS PARTY tntzss assoczAtiov TzrxGBAU.) WELLINGTON, October 24. The significance of the recent cabled ' news from India and the part still Played in Indian politics by Mr Gandhi were commented on by Dr. A. Bramwell Cook; chief medical officer of the Emery Hospital, conducted -by the Salvation Army at Annand, ..Bombay Presidency. Dr. Cook, form- • erly of Hastings, has arrived on six months’ furlough. Both he and his r wife are captains in the Salvation * Army. Dr. Cook is a former Waitaki High School boy and of the University of „ Otago and. Auckland University Col- . ifge. He holds degrees of the London university, and as tribute to his work f Was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal 1835 by the Government of India. I: .He said that of 11 ministries in India seven are controlled by the Congress Party. The prime mover behind the policy is Mr Gandhi, who, although not actually a member of the Congress Party, maintains his grip and js the final referee in every matter. The party is agitating for complete Dominion status. Mr Gandhi’s pnnaple is ahisma or non-violence. Dr. Cook said, and so followers of Mr Gandhi could not conscientiously engage in war.

The position now was that they

granted a bargain and to get a propose of full Dominion status if they Sj-opcrated in the war. Because the [Viceroy and the Secretary for India not made a definite promise of (lull Dominion status they were holding out the threat of resigning. If Imey did the Viceroy would have to respect to minority rule. It was a tre•pendous question. i- Hie princes were wholeheartedly in IJPBPort of the British Empire, because Igwr authority was maintained by the 3British Government. Unrest was alfSttiast wholly confined to British India, Mod did not greatly affect the states.