Strong Attack On Indian Communists

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29105, 18 January 1960, Page 9

Strong Attack On Indian Communists

(Rec. 10.30 p.m.) BANGALORE (Southern India), Jan. 16. The new president of India’s ruling Congress Party, Mr Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, launched one of the strongest attacks ever made on the country’s Communist Party by a Congress leader in his presidential address to his party’s annual meeting today.

He said: “Our Communist friends have lost their moorings in this country and they have developed a pattern of mental outlook under which they owe allegiance to something that is foreign to us. . . . “If, by taking advantage of our broadmindedness, there are any elements who act as an impediment to the defence of our country, or lead to the growth and existence of fifth columns behind our lines, then we have to take very strong steps to root out such elements root and branch,” he said.

If there was any doubt of anyone’s loyalty to the country “the benefit of the doubt should go not to him but against him,” Mr Reddy declared. Mr Reddy has been Chief Minister of Andhra State, near Madras, since 1957. His brother is leader of the Communists in Andhra State.

The Congress Party’s subjects committee unanimously passed a resolution calling for a speedy strengthening of the country’s defence organisation in the face of Chinese “aggression.” The committee is the main deliberative body of the Congress Party

and has 600 members from all parts of the country.

The Prime Minister (Mr Nehru) said yesterday that India would not call foreign armies to its aid against the Chinese Communists, "whatever the consequences.”

In an angry speech, Mr Nehru rejected proposals that Indian policy should permit military alliances if necessary. “To be realistic,” he said, “no country in the wide world can help us on the frontier.” Mr Nehru told the Congress Party meeting that India’s policy had been proved right and such proposals were a sign of weakness. Whatever the consequences, India would never allow foreign armies on her soil, even to aid defence, the Prime Minister said heatedly. Three Congress members bad urged the change in policy in view of the threat from Communist China. They did not favour immediate alliances but wanted the way open for the acceptance of aid in an emergency.