INDIA MOVE DEBATED

Chronicle (Levin), 27 February 1947, Page 5

INDIA MOVE DEBATED

Press Assn.

Pertinent Questions Unanswered

By Telegraph .

-Copyrigh.

LONDON, Feb. 25. A'iscount Templewood moved in the House of Lords tliat the Government's decision to quit Jndia by June, 1'048. witliout provision for tlie protection of iiiinorities or tlie discharge of other obligations was lilcely to imperii India's peaee and prosperitv. In the House of Commons, the Prinu Minister said India must assume thc responsibility for security agaiilst external aggression when Britain trans ferred power. The position would b .similar to that existing between tlu British Commonwealth Governments i. India decided to remain within tlu Uonimonvvealth. He added that India': future would still be a matter of great interest to Britain if she decided to leave the Commonwealth. Opening the debate in the House ot Lords, Lord Templewood said that thc Opposition agreed that the transfer oi power sliould be' expedited if it were orderly and based ' on a substaiuia ineasure of agreement betAveen thc liuliaiis and if it took full accouut ot Britain's obligations, wliich had growi. during the generations she had eon ducted Imlian affairs, but the Govern mcnt proposed to retain none of these conditions. The proposals would neithar lead t agreement between Indian factions no. produce a workable constitution leadmg to India's peace and prosperity. They would lead to division of India under the worst possible circum stances. To whom did the Government intend to transfer power? What would happen in the meantime? The powex should be transferred to the Indian Princes simultaneously with the .trans fer of power to British India if the princes were to be left in a fair posi tion for constit-utional negotiations. Lord Templewood said it was impossible to make this gigantic transfer in an orderly fashion in 18 months. Lord Sanuiel said it would be unwist to pass sucli a resoiution now, and add ed, " Let it not appear that we art clingiiig to iinpehal power and grasp ing at the (•omnninal difliculties to sc-cure a brief respite before we arc obliged to surrender, as we are bound to do in tlie end, to the grave unrest aml turbuJance. " Lord Pelliick-Lawrenee. said tliat thc lixing of an earlv date for tlie transfer of power to the Indians was de.signed to inqiress 011 tlie Indian parties the Governnient 's sincerity and the urgenci of the Indian.s solving their own out standing dilferences. If the Governnient had not acted it would have had to sit quiet wliile India deteriorated into a graver and graver situation. Re sponsible authorities in Tndia had ad vised tliat British nile could not b uiaintaiiied 011 tlie existing basis witli I etty-iency, after 194.8. Tlie lOarl of Munster declared that Ihe British Government had no idea to wliom responsibility could ultiniatelv be ti'ansferred. There was no certainty that a Central Governnient represent • ing the. wliole of India Would be in existence. Tlie Alanjuess of Salisbury asked wliy prior agreement among the main parties sliould have been necessary six montln ago aml not now. Were, we going to leave 50, 000, 000 depressed classes to bi tranqtled on by Neliru's friends? ^ Sir Cliarles Darwen welcomed thc Govcriimeiit action as a great act ot st atesmansliip and leal act of faitli'in (iie Indian peoplcs. The Earl of Listowel, replying to the debate, said: "There isn't going to be an evacuation but a transfer of political power from the British to respons ible Indian hands. This isn't a military but a political operation.' Lord Cranbourne asked: "Does that mean the Army and Civil Service are going to stay there? The Earl of Listowel said it would be presumptious for him to go into .nuch detaii about a matter of such importance. He added that reports the -rovernment had received so far indi. -ated that Mr. Attlee's statement had a favourable reception in India.