RULE IN INDIA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 120, 19 April 1940, Page 8

RULE IN INDIA

EXTENSION OF POWERS. HOPE FOR AGREEMENT. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received. April 19, 11.17 a.m. RUGBY, April 18. Motions were before both Houses of Parliament to-day authorising the continuance of the proclamations vesting in the’ Governors the administration of the seven Indian provinces the rerepresentativo Governments of which resigned in obedience to an instruction from the Working Committee of the Congress Party. The Governors of tho provinces concerned acquired their powers by proclamation nearly six months ago and by tho provisions of the Government of India Act these proclamations lapse at ihe end of six months unless they are continued by a motion of both Houses. In the House of Lords the Secretary for India (Lord Zetland) expressed regret at the necessity for tho motions and shortly reviewed the history of events leading up to the resignations of tho Congress Party Ministers. Ho pointed out that a third of,the population of British India reside in the provinces of Bengal, the Punjab, Sind and Assam, where Parliamentary Government is still functioning successfully, but in the other seven provinces the Governors had been compelled to take over the administration. Lord Zetland said that the difficulties between the Congress and the Moslems had not been resolved, and until they were there was little prospect of progress in India towards a solution of the question of an Indian Government. He again urged meetings between tho responsible leaders to endeavour to come to some agreement, and said belief in such meetings, although not held by the Congress Party leaders, had the support of 6ueh men as the Chief Justice Federal Court and the Prime Minister of the Punjab. CONGRESS DEMAND.

The demand of Congress, said Lord Zetland, was for the complete independence of India and for the drafting of tho future constitution by a constituent assembly elected on a basis of adult suffrage. It was opposed not only by the Moslems but by the leaders of the scheduled castes and the Liberal National Federation. “We realise that for varying reasons the three main parties to the controversy—Congress, the All-Indian Moslem League and the Princes —entertain objections to the Federal provisions of tho Act,” he continued. “We have said therefore that we are desirous of consulting those interests with a view to ascertaining the lines on which they would wish to see the provisions altered. AVc made the offer because we accept the reasonableness of the claim that the Indians _ themselves should play a vital part in devising the sort of constitution they deem best suited to tho circumstances of their country, but we also said we cannot wholly dissociate ourselves from shaping the future constitution of the country and T should have thought our reasons for saying that would have been both understood and accepted as valid.” After recapitulating the reasons why the British Government could not he dissociated from shaping the future Indian constitution, he pointed out that a measure of agreement among tlm Indian communities was essential if a united India was to become a reality, and lie appealed to the Congress Party not to close the door upon the unity of India by themselves so passionately desired. CONGRESS ACTION. Received April 19. 12.10 p.m. WARDHA, April 18. The Congress Working Committee has resolved to call tho Congress committees throughout India to prepare for a declaration of civil disobedience. Mr Gandhi participated in the discussion.