INDIAN ARMY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25206, 10 June 1947, Page 7

INDIAN ARMY

ARRANGEMENTS FOR DIVISION DETAILED PLAN SAID TO BE READY (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. “The first step in the division of the Indian Army will be taken this week with the formation of military committees to divide ordnance stores and factories,” says the New Delhi correspondent of the “Daily Express.” “A month ago the Viceroy (Lord Mountbatten) appointed a planning committee on division. As a result, he will present the Indian leaders with a remarkably detailed and almost complete plan. “The division will be on a territorial, not communal, basis. This means that small regiments of mixed troops will be posted to the Pakistan or Hindustan forces according to the Dominion in which their homes fall, regardless of their religions. “This will give Pakistan most of the 200,000 Moslems of the Indian Army. It will also mean that many Sikh units of the western Punjab will be in the Pakistan forces, and that many Moslems of the United Provinces will find themselves soldiers of Hindustan. “British officers will participate and will be posted with Indian units to one or other Dominion. “The general effect of the division will be to give the better and greater part"of the Indian Army’s equipment to Hindustan and the best fighting troops to Pakistan.” “Apart from sporadic affrays and bomb explosions in Lahore and Amritsar during last week, India has taken the division plan quietly,” says the New Delhi correspondent of “The Times.” “The presence of extra police has helped to keep communal riots in check and the broadcast speeches by Mr Nehru, Mr Jinnah, and Sardar Baldev Singh, the Sikh leader, have had a mollifying influence. “The indications are that the Hindus and Moslems, now that the principle of division has been conceded, will realise that they have nothing to gain by massacres of the opposite community. , “The Sikhs are reported to be flustered, but the leaders have been warned that the authorities will use extreme measures should they resort to violence.” The All-India Committee of the Hindu Mahasabha (the orthodox Hindu organisation) has adopted a Resolution accusing the Congress Party of betraying the country by agreeing to partition. The committee decided to observe July 3 as a day of protest throughout India. Most members of the council of the All-India Moslem League have arrived in New Delhi to vote on the British proposals for the handing over of power to the Indian people. A correspondent there says that it is assumed in Moslem circles that the proposals will be accepted by a large majority, particularly as Mr Jinnah and other leaders have expressed themselves in favour of them. The Congress Party will meet next Saturday to make its decision. Here again it is believed that the voting will be in favour of the proposals. Sardar B.aldev Singh has expressed approval of the proposals, and his party is not expected to hold any discussion.