BRITISH PLAN FOR INDIA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25207, 11 June 1947, Page 7

BRITISH PLAN FOR INDIA

MOSLEM LEAGUE ACCEPTS SIKHS GIVE QUALIFIED APPROVAL (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW DELHI, June 9. The council of the Moslem League to-day accepted the British plan for a divided India. Mr Jinnah is reported to have told the delegates that he accepted Dominion status for Pakistan for the transition period only. It was for the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to decide whether or not Pakistan would remain in the British Commonwealth. The Sikhs, meeting at Lahore, gave qualified approval, although under partition the Sikh community will be split almost in two. On Saturday, the All-lndia Congress Party’s committee will meet to discuss the plan, and the Premiers of the Punjab, Bengal, and Sind have arranged a meeting to discuss the method of partition of their States. The text of the Moslem League resolution on the British plan will be issued to-morrow. In the council debate some Moslem leaders, notably from the United Provinces, criticised the plan. The delegates from Sind, the North-West Frontier Province. Assam, and the Central Provinces approved the plan. The New Delhi correspondent of Reuters says it is authoritatively stated that the resolution gives Mr Jinnah authority to accept the plan and work out the details with the Viceroy. The resolution regrets the division of Bengal and the Punjab. Several hundred supporters shouted "Long Live the Emperor of Pakistan” as Mr Jinnah, smoking a large cigar, arrived at the Imperial Hotel for the opening of the meeting. The police arrested outside the hotel about 60 Khaksars (Moslems opposed to partition) for shouting antipartition slogans. Moslem League National Guards paced the corridors inside the hotel. About 400 delegates, half of them from Hindustan areas, attended the meeting.

The correspondent of the British United Press says that Mr Jinnah silenced the crowds who were shouting ‘‘Long Live the Emperor of Pakistan” by saying that he did not want to be the Emperor of Pakistan, but only a soldier of Pakistan.