INDIAN CONGRESS PARTY

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1942, Page 5

INDIAN CONGRESS PARTY

ANTI-BRITISH MOVES

AXIS SUPPORT PROMISED RUGBY, July 16. It is noticed in London that Axis approval of the new Gandhi programme has been instantaneous and emphatic. The German trans-ocean cable from Bangkok says: Indians of the Far East heard with the utmost gratification that the Working Committee of the Congress Party confirmed its confidence in Gandhi’s leadership by accepting his programme for driving the British out of India Similarly the trans-ocean radio reports: “The Indian Independence League in the Far East would support Gandhi in every respect. The complete removal of. British and American influence from India meant India’s true independence, and that is one of the objectives of the Axis Powers in the war.” A study of the full text of the Congress Working Committee’s resolution brings out the following points: The declaration that after the British withdrawal the present political narties would cease to function can only mean that the Congress, as a Totalitarian organisation, would bring their existence to an end. Secondly, although the resolution implies the Congress is the people’s party, in contrast with other parties dependent on the monied classes, it is in fact, a party largely financed, at any rate, in the past by industrialists and landlords. Thirdly, the resolution states that Sir S. Cripps’ proposals showed that the British hold on India had in no way relaxed. The overriding concern of the British Government, at present, is to strengthen the military position of the United Nations, and the strategic importance of India must be a foremost concern, hence the view held that a withdrawal from India would be an abdication of British responsibility to the United Nations, and would paralyse the joint defence arrangements.

NO BRITISH WEAKENING. 'RUGBY, July 16. The President of the Indian Congress (Dr. Maulana- Azad) has again demanded an immediate transfer of British power from India instead of waiting until the end of the war. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said in an interview that he was not interested in what the United States or the United Nations might do after the war. Any declaration on the subject must be followed up by action now if it was to meet the demands of the Congress Party. In London, the difficulties of handing over the government of India at present are emphasised. It is believed that the present move is an attempt to recapture the party’s lost prestige. No proposals had been put forward which would solve the problem of Moslems and other parties in India’s government, and it was unthinkable that the whole negotiations should be controlled by the Congress Party, while it was dominated by Mr. Gandhi. “The Government intends to watch very closely developments in the new anti-British campaign of Mr. Gandhi and the Indian Congress Party, and will not hesitate to take firm action if the campaign threatens to impede the war effort or Indian defence, says the political correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” “Well-informed circles emphasise that there is no question of the Government paying any official attention to the latest Congress demands for entering into any negotiations. In spite of Congress references to ‘bondage India has raised more than 1,250.000 volunteers, mostly Moslems. They have served with great distinction in several theatres of war. Informed opinion dismisses as preposterous the suggestion that British departure from India could be followed by the formation of a Government capable of defending the country.” The Parliamentary correspondent of “The Times” says there is no question of any concession to the demand for the withdrawal of British rule.