DIVIDED INDIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24255, 25 March 1940, Page 7

DIVIDED INDIA

THE MOSLEM VIEW OPPOSED TO CONGRESS THE BRITISH REGIME CHAOS THE ALTERNATIVE (United Press Association) . ;.T (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) . LAHORE, Mar. 23. : (Received Mar. 24, at 9 p.m.) ,_ Mr M. A. Jinnah, in his .presidential address to the annual meeting of the Moslem League, which was attended by 100,000 persons who met in .the open air, said the division of India, into autonomous national States was the only solution of the country’s problem. Termination -of the British regime would result in chaos. Mr Jinnah said his solution would lead to friendly settlement of the minorities issue. Moslem India could not accept a Constitution resulting in Hindu dominance. A democracy of the kind that the Congress envisaged would completely destroy what Islam regarded as most precious and would lead to civil war and the raising of private armies. Mr Jinnah invited Mr Gandhi to meet him in an attempt to settle the 'issue.' ' ~.. ■ . A denunciation of Congress policy, particularly with regard to Moslem interests, was previously made by Mr Jinnah at a conference of Sind Moslems.. > “ The Congress High Command,” he said, “ is, in mv opinion, the 1 greatest enemy of India’s progress, and even of the interests of Hindus. It has adopted a most oppressive and hostile attitude towards the AllIndia League since the Congress secured a majority in six provinces. It is obsessed with one idea and is determined to divide the Moslems, and, particularly,, to •'break'the solidarity of the Moslem League. Even k?r Gandhi, who has acquired spiritual influence over a large body of the Hindu public, has been used by those who surround him.”': : • ;/ Mr Jinnah drew the attention of his Majesty’s Government to the fact that the Congress did hot represent the people of India. Ninety million Moslems, he said, were, outside the Congress.