DISCUSSION WITH GANDHI

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23746, 18 September 1942, Page 5

DISCUSSION WITH GANDHI

PERMISSION REFUSED BY VICEROY APPEALS FOR FRESH NEGOTIATIONS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW DELHI, Sept. 16. It is understood that the .Viceroy (Lord Linlithgow) rejected the recent application by the working committee of the Hindu Mahasabha lor permission to discuss the political situation with Mr Gandhi and other detained Congress Party leaders. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and Dr. M. R. Jayakar. representing an Indian non-narty group, have issued a joint statement saying: "Even now an attempt should be made to establish a National Government with the help of the Moslem League, the Hindu Mahasabha. and other political parties, who should be left free to negotiate with the Congress leaders behind the bars." Mr N. M. Joshi, Labour member for Bombay, in a statement to the Legislative Assembly, said: "The Indians want to v/in the war and fight the Japanese. The Government blundered in dealing with the problem. It was wrong to arrest members of Congress while there was still a chance of negotiation. "The Government must retrieve the situation by taking the initiative in conciliation. The members of Congress cannot be asked to call off their movement while they are in gaol. The Government should release them Sir Reginald Maxwell, Home Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, in the Legislative Assembly, gave the numbers of casualties in the recent disturbances. The casualties caused by the police firing were 340 killed and 840 wounded, but these figures were incomplete. Casualties caused by military action were 318 killed and 153 wounded. The Government forces suffered 31 killed and a very large number injured, but most of the injuries were not serious. Military personnel lost 11 killed and seven wounded. Of civil officials, excluding posts, telegraphs, and railways, seven were killed and 16 wounded. ~ _ . . Sir Reginald Maxwell said the firing was controlled and perfect discipline was maintained among the, troops and police. There had been no indiscrimin-ate-firing, and magisterial inquiries into all cases of firing had reported that allegations of excess were without foundation.