TO MEET CABINET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26471, 27 May 1947, Page 5

TO MEET CABINET

VICEROY OF INDIA OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS FUTURE OF ARMED FORCES Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, May 26. The Daily Telegraph says that the Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, will resume his conversations with Cabinet Ministers on May 27. The talks will continue throughout the next day, and if necessary there will be final consultations on May 29, the day the Viceroy returns to India. The discussions will centre mainly on the procedure to, be suggested to the Indian leaders, if as expected, they decide on partition, the reorganisation of the Indian Army, which will be necessary if the Hindu and Moslem leaders cannot agree on a plan for common defence, also whether—and in which province—there should be plebiscites on Inclusion in Hindustan or Pakistan. A DIVIDED COUNTRY SERIOUS EFFECT ON ARMY NEED TO MAINTAIN TRADITION NEW DELHI, May 25. Division of India must inevitably result in division of the Indian armed forces, stated the Minister of Defence, and the only Sikh representative in the Interim Government, Sadar Beldev Singh. “It will be highly inadvisable to have a joint army for Hindustan and Pakistan, although enormous difficulties will be involved in nationalising, much less dividing the Indian Army before the British withdraw in June, 1948. “ The Indian Army is one of the finest fighting forces in the world, for which a large part of the credit goes to the British, who will be interested in maintaining the army’s tradition and record, particularly in view of the uncertain international conditions.” Singh said most of the Moslems in the army came from the Rawalpindi and Mooltan districts. “ When the army is divided the Pakistan Moslem State will have to find funds to pay ■for every Moslem in the armed ranks It is going to be a great straip on the Moslem masses, who at this stage do not understand the implications of division.” Singh referred to Mr Jinnah’s demand for a corridor linking the western and eastern areas of Pakistan as “ unthinkable.” He said the Sikbs must insist on partition .of the Punjab if the Moslems insisted on Pakistan, and the scheme of partition in the Punjab must be devised so as to draw out a large part of the Sikh population from the Moslem-dominated area. “ We find it impossible to restore brotherly relations. We know we shall suffer. We are prepared to face the lesser evil.” Situation Deplored Mr Nehru, speaking at Mussoorie before travelling to New Delhi for the talks, said that the forces of good and evil were at war in India. Saboteurs were active while India was on the threshold of freedom. "The situation is deplorable,” he said, “but the time is not far distant when we shall have real power, when our countrymen will have no worries, and when their needs will be fulfilled Be confident that the day of rejoicing approaches." Rioters Smash Windows Moslem rioters smashed the windows of the Judge’s Court in Peshawar, North-west Frontier province, and dynamited a frontier road bridge. The Moslem League’s volunteer army, armed with rifles, revolvers, and shotguns, paraded in Peshawar’s streets and bazaars. A Government communique says six Hindus, including two women and two children, were injured when a hand grenade exploded in Kohat last night Mr Gandhi Pained Mr Gandhi, who arrived at Mr Nehru’s to join the Congress discussions before Lord Mountbatten’s return, said it pained him to see all eyes turned to London. “We must learn to depend on ourselves,” he said. “ Independence is like a jewel. Its safety arid protection lie entirely with us.”