STATE OF AFFAIRS IN INDIA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 69, 8 April 1937, Page 5

STATE OF AFFAIRS IN INDIA

No Undortaking Glvett To Congress FRONTIER FIGHTING j (Britiuh Offioial Wirelesa.) RUGBY^ April Qi A statement on the pofiition of affairs in India was ffiade in the House of Commons at question time, by the Under-Secretary of State for India, Mr R. A. Butler. The leader s of the Congress Party in six provinces where that party was expected t'o command a majority of the legislatures had deolined invitations to form Ministries, he eaid. These had accordmgly been . formed from other parties. The Congress Party was prepared to accept ofhce only if its leaders in the provinces in question were — -to cite the terms of the Congiress Resolqtion— » ' 'satisfied and able to state publioly that the Governor would not use his special powers of inference or set aBide the advice of his Ministers in regard to their constitutional activities." The provincial Governors, with the full approvai of the Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, and the Secretafy of State for India, the Marquess of Zetland, had deolined to give any undertaking in regard to the use of the powers conferred upon them by the Act and the obligfitiona imposed upon them by their instructions, issued with the approvai of Parliament, Mr Butler added. But the Governors offered, eubject to their obligations, the fullest assuranceg of sym* pathy and support to any Ministry which might be formed, The Congress Party leaders wero, ua*

fortunately unable to aecept such assuranceg as ndequately fulfliling the requirements prescribed by the AllIndia Congress Committee. Regiarding the situation on the North West frontier, Mr Butler said considerable unrest continued in thfe northern- 1 part of Waziristan^ On March 29 units which were protecting the passagd of a convoy on the road between Bannu and Raxmak were attacked by a large force of tribesmen, whom they repulsed With heavy losses. The local political, military and air authorities were working in close collaboration in dealing with the situation, and the Commander-in-Ohief himself had gone to Peshawar.