LAST-MINUTE MEETING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22198, 7 December 1946, Page 7

LAST-MINUTE MEETING

BRITISH AND INDIAN LEADERS PROBLEMS OF CONSTITUTION SURPRISE ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSIONS (10.40 n.ni.V LONDON, December 6. A joint, round-table conference of British Cabinet Ministers and all tlie Indian leaders was held at No. 10 Downing Street to-night, a few hours before Mr. Nehru was due to fly back to Delhi. The Indians left an hour later. Questioned, Mr. Nehru said: “What do you expect so suddenly?” Reuter’s correspondent in New Delhi says it is expected that an official statement on the talks will be made to-morrow simultaneously in New Delhi and London. Earlier, the Evening Standard’s political correspondent reported that there was no prospect of anything but a deadlock from the talks on India.

Failure of Talks Suggested

The morning papers were unanimous that all the evidence pointed to the failure of the talks between the Indian leaders, the Prime Minister. Mr. C. R. Attlee, and members of the Cabinet mission to India.

are well known. He affirms that the Congress Party has never fully accepted the British Cabinet mission’s plan, but has put its own interpretation on the provisions intended to secure the political protection of the Moslems and thereby shown its determination to dominate the Assembly by the voting power of the 'Hindus. “It also alleges that the British Government has permitted the Congress Party to monopolise the reality of power in a manner contrary to British policy, as expounded in the Cabinet mission’s plan. He, therefore, maintains that the Moslem League’s further co-operation has become impossible since the league would face the prospect of complete political subordination. Implications of Refusal

“There will be no round-table conference as planned,” says the Daily Herald, "unless there is a last-minute change in the attitude among the Indian leaders. The fact that the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, Mr. Jinnah and his colleagues are remaining in London is probably the most hopeful feature of the situation which has caused the British Government considerable anxiety.” The Times’ Parliamentary correspondent says that, although the talks revealed there were marked differences between the Congress Party and Moslem League about the interpretation of the Cabinet mission’s plan for the “grouving” of the provinces, the real differences are most fundamental. They arise from the mutual distrust and traditional Moslem fear of majority rule by the Hindus. Breakdown Held Inevitable

“It is difficult to deny the force of these contentions,” The Times adds, “but this by no means implies that Mr. Jinnah’s persistence in his present attitude will best serve even the Moslem cause. Not much harm may be done if the Moslem League representatives are absent from the Assemly’s early sessions, which will be mainly devoted to formalities, but their continued refusal to participate in the working out of India’s future governmental structure will be regarded by many in Britain and elsewhere as having destroyed the last hope of India’s constitutional development on peaceful and orderly lines and will be blamed for aggravating the tragic communal tension.”

The Daily Mail’s political correspondent declares that it seemed at the conclusion of the discussions last night that a breakdown was inevitable, but there is still time for conciliation because the Moslems, if they decline to participate in the opening session of the Constituent Assembly on Monday, may be influenced to do so when the real task of the constitution-making begins in 1947. The House of Commons is expected to debate the sitaution next week when it is expected, says the Daily Express, the Conservatives will point out that they agreed to Indian home rule on the basis of a general agreement between the Indian people. They may ask that the whole question be reopened.

The Indian Constituent Assembly is to meet at Delhi on Monday for formal business only and then adjourn until the spring.

This, according to the Daily Worker’s political correspondent, was the compromise reached at the London talks and is apparently designed to give the parties further time to reach an agreement.

It now seems certain that the London conversations between the Government and the Indian leaders, which will continue throughout to-day, cannot avail to secure the Moslem League’s participation at the opening of the Constituent Assembly on Monday.

The correspondent adds that Mr. Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan are remaining in London for some days, but Mr. Nehru and Sardar Baldev Singh are flying back to Delhi early to-day. Reuter’s correspondent at Ahmedafca.d reported that communal disorders dc*»tinue. Twenty-four persons were featured when the Dolice fired duritrjfa religious procession.

“Perhaps the greatest disappointment,” says The Times in a leading article, “has been the failure of the Government’s attempt to bring both sides together around the same table and it is not surprising that little progress has been made towards an understanding. Basis of Mr. Jinnah’s Refusal

INDIAN ENVOY TO l|&' (10.40 a.m.) NEW DELHI, kec. I. Mr. Asaf Ali has been appointed » be India’s first Ambassador t'b the United States.

“The grounds on which Mr. Jinnah refuses to participate in the Assembly