MANY PROBLEMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 98, 25 March 1942, Page 5

MANY PROBLEMS

CASTES AND BELIEFS. RUGBY, March 23. On the eve of momentous discussions which are to take place at New Delhi between Sir Stafford Cripps, representing the British Government, and the leaders of Indian opinion, it is perhaps not inappropriate briefly to review the composition and policy of the main Indian parties. British India has a population of nearly 300 million. Apart from .11 provinces in British India, there are some 500 Indian States with their own princes. All the princes of these States, though owning alicigancc to the King and submitting to his Government in all matter relating fo external affairs, yet retain in varying degree sovereignty in matters of internal affairs. Moslems and Hindus, of which, according to the most recent census, there are 77.093,000 and 235,U24.000 respectively, make up nine-tenths of India’s population. The differences between the two are fundamental. The Hindu worships many gods, but the Moslem recognises only one. The foundations of Hindu life are based on caste, while the Moslems believe in one brotherhood. The remaining tenth of the population includes powerful minorities—some 6,500,000 Christians, 4,500,000 Sikhs, and over 5,500.000 belonging to tribal religions. A further obstacle to unity is the fact that some

223 languages are spoken, while it is estimated that only 12 per cent, of the population can read and write. Of the political parties, the Indian National Congress and Moslem League, are the largest. Congress was founded as long ago as 1885. It desired three things: Firstly, India's independence and self-government; secondly, the safeguarding of Indian culture; and thirdly, the political unification of India. In 1906 a rift arose between the Hindus and Moslems largely over a disagreement about Lord Curzon’s partition of Bengal the previous year. The Moslems then formed the Moslem League to defend their interests. Henceforth Congress became more markedly, though not exclusively. Hindu. In 1927 Congress, which earlier had adopted Air Gandhi’s policy of non-co-operation, decided to enter the Central and Provincial Parliaments. When Parliamentary Governments were formed in the eleven provinces in 1937. Congress formed seven of them. At the outbreak of war, however, all Congress members of the Governments resigned, objecting to a declaration of war being made by the Viceroy without full consultation with Indian opinion. VARYING POLICIES. Very roughly, the policies to which the various parties in India appear to have pledged themselves, can he summarised thus:— Congress regards as essential the adoption of a long-term constitutional policy in which British power would gradually he relinquished. It considers that, politically and administratively, India is one nation.

The Aloslcms, on the other hand, adhere to a “two nations” theory, and the setting up of separate Aloslem States (Pakistan) is one of the iundamentals of their policy. If any single National Government were to be established, the Moslems demand complete equality with the Hindus, irrespective of their relative numerical strength. The Aloslem League rejects any constitutional reforms which entailed a single Government based on majority rule.

The policy of the Hindus (Alalia* sabba) is virtually the extreme of the Congress attitude—a single Government based oil majority rule with complete rejection of the Pakistan scheme. The Sikhs also oppose Pakistan. The scheduled castes, too. are opposed to equality of representation as between Moslems and Hindus on the ground that they would get hut little of the half-share of power granted to the Hindus.