DANGER OF CIVIL WAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1946, Page 7

DANGER OF CIVIL WAR

DISOBEDIENCE CAMPAIGN IN INDIA MOSLEMS’ DIRECT ACTION LONDON, July 31. The president of the Moslem League (Mr. Jinnah) told correspondents in Bombay that the league’s resolution favouring direct action was not a declaration of war on anybody. It was nothing but a statement about the steps Moslems intended to take for their self-preservation and selfdefence. Mr. Jinnah said the All-India Congress intended to launch a civil disobedience campaign, and plans tor it were in full swing. When asked what were the Moslem League’s plans for direct action, Mr. Jinnah told his questioners to ask Congress what their plans, were. “When you have got their answer I will give you mine,” he said. “The Moslem leaders have done their best,” added Mr. Jinnah. “Any further move must come from the British Government or Congress.” Congress Accused.

“Mr. Jinnah accused the Congress Party of organising and drilling to launch a mass civil disobedience struggle,” says Reuter’s Bombay correspondent. “Mr. Jinnah accused members of Congress of enrolling members of the Indian National Army and sending them throughout the country. “Mr. Jinnah indicated that the door was not closed to further negotiations. He confirmed the report that the Viceroy (Lord Wavell) is seeking to arrange an interim Government.”

The New Delhi radio reports that Mr. Rajagopalachari in a speech said: “Mr. Jinnah’s leadership again has failed. He dreads putting his feet on the shore of constructive responsibility. If the Moslems unfortunately insist that home- rule must begin with ugly demonstrations and conflicts, we must face the difficulty. The Moslem demand for Executive Council parity, thus placing the majorities in a minority position, is sheer cantankerousness.”

India Office officials believe the president of the Moslem League (Mr. Jinnah) will hesitate before plunging India into a blood bath which would set the country back 100 years. The “direct' action” decided on by the Moslem League’s council could mean civil war, and that would make Pakistan more impossible than it is now.

Britain’s Work Upset.

What Mr. Jinnah has done is to upset what the British Cabinet Mission achieved when it persuaded the two main communities to draw up a future constitution. Britain must begin all over again, and no doubt Mr. Jinnah hopes to gain Pakistan in the fresh discussions. But the British misions rejection of Pakistan because it is economically impractical is not likely to be changed. ’ There is little doubt that the Moslem League could, if it wanted, start a civil war. There are some 80.000,000 Moslems in British India and more than 190,000,000 Hindus, but the Moslems generally are regarded as tougher fighting men. The responsibility for maintaining law and order in British India rests on the Government of the 11 provinces, eight of which are governed by All-India Congress Premiers and Cabinets, and the remaining three by Moslem premiers and Cabinets. The number of British troops in India is not known, but the strength before the war was 60,000.