INDIAN REFORMS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1935, Page 4

INDIAN REFORMS

BILL UNACCEPTABLE

FEDERAL PROPOSALS BAD

DEBATE AT DELHI

United Press Association—By Electric Tele^

craph—CopjTlght. (Received February 8, 2 p.m.)

DELHI, February 7,

The. debate on the Indian Constitutional Reforms ended in the rejection by 72 votes to 61 of Mr. Bulaghai Desai's motion on behalf of the Congress Party and as Leader of the Opposition, urging the Viceroy to advise the British Government not to proceed with the reforms, adding that the wartime promises made, to India had been ; forgotten, repudiated, or whittled down.

Nevertheless the Legislature dealt a severe blow to the constitutional proposals by carrying by 74 votes to 58 a motion by Mr. Jinnah, the Independent Moslem leader, demanding the dropping of legislation aiming at allIndia Federation. The mover declared that the Federation scheme was fundamentally bad and totally unacceptable to British India. The Assembly also, carried the second section of Mr. Jinnah's Amendment demanding modifications in Provincial autonomy and complete responsibility in the Central Government.

Mr. Jinnah said that the Federal proposal's were 98 per cent, safeguards and 2 per cent responsibility, which was more humiliating and intolerable than the existing constitution.

Sir Henry Craik, the Home member, explained that the safeguards were introduced owing to Congressmen's declarations.

Mr. Jinnah retorted: "What, about your Churchills, Lord Lloyd, O'Dwyer and Craddock? If I. go by what they say, I shall kick the British from India."

Mr. Srinivasa Sastri, interveiwed referring to Sir Samuel Hoare's pledge of Dominion status, said, "The Indian cannot longer put faith in- the British Cabinet's spokesmen or the preamble to the Act." '; '. .