LIFE IN INDIA AT STANDSTILL

Chronicle (Levin), 3 February 1948, Page 5

LIFE IN INDIA AT STANDSTILL

(N.Z.PA.-

- Reuter .

WEST CANNOT REALISE INTENSITY OF GRIEF . i i

Copyright)

Received Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, February 2. India today mouTns" Mahatma Gandhi with *"an intensity of emotional abandon whicK the West cannot parallel or ev'en iinagine, says the Times 's Delhi correspondent. The national lite of the past 48 hours has been at a standstill. Th£ people have "iven tliemselves up to g'rief, State mourning for 13 days has been proclaimed, flag's are flying- at halfmast, publie entertainments haye been cancelled and rad-io programmes are mainly confined to news builetins consisting of tributes to the "Fatlier of the Nation". • The fact that Pakistan politicians and nevyspapers have been g'onerous in their praise* of Mr. Gandhi, has t.ehiporarily at leastdrawn the two Dominions together. The correspondent added that it is not surprising that in this ' g'riel-strickep mood apiounting' .almost to mass hysteria, that acts oi vloleuce occiu'red ag'aipst extreme Hindu leaders and their property. The population made no attempt to gc't at Gandhi 's assassin in gaol. Leaders described him as a m'adman and in this case a national s.epse of shame seems to outweig'h resentment. Murder Cojispiracy The Indian Home Minister (Air. Patel) said iit New Delhi tonig'ht that a eonspiraey to mprder him, Pandit Nehru and the, Education Minister (Mr. Azad), in addition to Mr. Gandhi, had been uncovered. He added: "There is apiple evidenee that we were markeyl to be liquidated because a certain group believed we , were making too many concessions to Pakistan and tbe Moslems generally." ]