INDIA TO BE DIVIDED, BUT HOW? PARTIES STILL DISAGREED

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1947, Page 5

INDIA TO BE DIVIDED, BUT HOW? PARTIES STILL DISAGREED

(Rec. 7.0). LONDON, May 2. The Times Delhi correspondent says:— The Indian Nationalist Congress Party’s Working Committee met twice yesterday, and it is believed to be engaged in evolving a clear-cut policy on the proposed partition of India. Even the most inveterate opponents are now coming to regard the division of India as being inevitable. But a wide gulf still separates the Moslem and the Congress view points on this vexed issue.

The Moslem leader, Dr. Jinnah, maintains that Pakistan means a separate Moslem State fox* all of the areas included in Groups B and C of the British Cabinet Mission Plan, namely, for Sind, the Punjab, the North-West. Frontier Province, Baluchistan in the north-west, and Bengal and Assam in the north-east. Anything less, involving a partition of the Punjab and of Bengal into predominately Moslem and non-Moslem areas, he regards as nothing better than “truncated or mutilated motheaten Pakistan”, which he emphatically rejects. Dr. Jinnah also demands, as tfie logical corollary of Pakistan, the division of India’s defence forces betweexx Pakistan and Hindustan before June, 1948. The Congress Party’s rejoinder is that Dr. Jinnah cannot have it both ways. Either he wants the division of India, ox* he does not. If he insists on division, as evidently he does, then it can only be on a basis which suits both the parties, and not Dr. Jinnah alone.

In the face of these, and of other differences, it is difficult to see how the British Government can preserve the ideal of a united India fox* which Britain has laboured all these years. The Viceroy’s adviser, Lord Ismay, is flying to London to-day to report on the Viceroy’s recent discussions with Indian leaders. The Viceroy, it may be taken fox* granted, has formed definite opinions on how best to implement the British decision to hand ovex* power by June, 1948, and his plan of action is believed to be elastic enough to allow of several approaches. The British Government will have to decide which approach it prefers, bearing in mind there is a paramount need to end present uncertainties, which are intensifying conflicts, particularly in the Punjab, the North-West Frontier, and Bengal.

Untouchables

NEW DELHI, May 1 The Constituent Assembly has approved the abolition of untouchability, and is making its observance a penal offence. The Assembly discussed the interim report cf the Fundamental Rights Committee on the definition of citizen ship rights, equality of freedom, and religion, and cultural and educational rights. Members considered that the citizenship clause stating that every person born in the Union or naturalised shall be a citizen of the Union, was not comprehensive enough, and postponed consideration. Mr Patel, Home Minister in the Interim Government, discussing the citizenship clause, said that the new Indian Constitution would be scrutinised all over the world. There was no rason to be apprehensive about what, would happen if foreigners claimed citizenship. The proviso that further provision governing citizenship would be made by the laws of the Union would amply take care of things. Admiral Mountbatten lias left Peshawar for Rawalpindi, in the Punjab. Tribesmen raided a town and villages 100 miles south of Peshawar, where they killed four Hindus. The Constituent Assembly adopted clauses of the Fundamental Rights Charter calling for religious freedom, prohibition of child labour in factories, mines or other hazardous employment, traffic in human beings and forced labour, except by State conscription.

The Assembly also approved a clause providing for free trade and prohibiting discriminatory taxation between units of the future Indian Union.

The Governments of Britain, India and of the Indian provinces have agreed on a system of compensation for British officers of the Indian civil service whose positions would be affected by the transfer of power, said the Prime Minister, Mr Attlee, in the House of Commons to-day. He added that the Indian Governments hoped to retain the services of experienced oflicers on the same terms as at present. The Indian Governments- had already agreed to pay compensation for loss of career prospects to any Indian civil servants not invited to remain in office, but it was expected that most Indians out of patriotism would continue their work.

Reuter’s says the proposals affect 1350 British civil officers and 2570 defence personnel.