WILL INDIA SEEK STATUS OF REPUBLIC?

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1948, Page 3

WILL INDIA SEEK STATUS OF REPUBLIC?

Question For London Conference (Rec. 10.0). LONDON, October 6. Although the Indian Government spokesman was reticent- about the attitude which India will take on the question of her continued membership of the British Commonwealth, Indian newspapers and politicians agree that India should be a ‘‘sovereign, independent republic”, says the Times New Delhi corresponding, commenting on the departure of Pandit Nehru for the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference.

The last meeting of the Congress Working Committee in New Delhi is believed to have confirmed the Party’s determination to make India a sovereign, independent republic, even if this means severing a link with the British Crown. Predominant political opinion in India is that the country must follow roughly the same line as Eire, and repudiate her allegiance to the Crown, substituting for it some legal link which would preserve existing relations. THREE “BROWN" DOMINIONS Indian newspapers point out that the Prime Ministers’ conference will face the existence of three new Dominions of brown races—lndia, Pakistan and Ceylon—and assert that it will be a test of good faith for Britain and the older Dominions to see how far they are willing to make allowances in receiving the new Dominions on terms of equality and without reservation.

Several papers say that, whatever expression is used to describe the new group of countries, the term British, which now prefixes the Commonwealth of Nations, should be dropped.

India feels that she will be entitled to raise the issue of racial discrimination practised by Australia and South Africa.

Indian papers agree that the world situation is drifting towards a conflict, with the position in the Far East steadily deteriorating. On the questions of defence, strategy, economic and technical aid, India realises that her defence rests on close relations within the Commonwealth.