DANGEROUS PREPARATIONS

Southland Times, Issue 24818, 10 August 1942, Page 5

DANGEROUS PREPARATIONS

The Government of India, in its statement following _ toe Congress Party’s decision to initiate a mass struggle, stated: “The All-India Congress Committee has ratified the resolution passed by toe Working Committee of toe Indian National Congress on August 5 demanding toe immediate withdrawal of Britiish power from India. The Government has been aware for some days past of dangerous preparations by toe Congress Party for unlawful, and in some cases violent, activities directed, among other things at the interruption of communication and public utility services, toe organization of strikes and interference with defence measures, including recruitment. The Government has waited patiently, hoping that wiser counsels would prevail. That hope has failed. “To toe present challenge only one answer is possible. The Government of India would regard it as wholly incompatible with its responsibilities to toe people of India and to its allies that a demand should be discussed acceptance of which would plunge India into confusion and anarchy and paralyze her war effort. For the demand of toe Congress leaders there is no warrant. It is almost impossible to reconcile it with a full sense of responsibility on the part of toe leaders of the Congress Party. The Government cannot accept their claim to speak for India as a whole, a claim which has no solid foundation. “The Government’s acceptance of the claims now put forward by toe Congress Party would mean abandonment of all those large and powerful elements of the population which have condemned the course of action proposed by the Congress Party. The Congress Party is not India’s mouthpiece, yet in toe interests of securing their own dominance and in pursuit of their totalitarian policy its leaders have consistently im-

peded toe efforts made to bring Indii to full nationhood. The fullest guarantee has been given by toe British Government that when the war ends the final structure of India’s constitution will be erected by the Indians themselves. Those guarantees are accepted by toe people of India, it is firmly believed. BETRAYAL OF ALLIES

“The Government cannot accept toe Congress leaders’ claim that a British withdrawal now would lead to stability and co-operation with toe United Nations against toe aggressors. In toe view of toe Indian Government, acceptance of toe demand now put forward by the Congress Party would mean betrayal of our Allies, whether inside or outside India, in particular toe betrayal of Russia and China, the betrayal of India’s fighting men and toe betrayal of all loyal and co-operative elements in India which have played so active and valuable a part in the prosecution of the war. India has today a government stronger and more representative than ever in toe past, a Government predominantly Indian and nonofficial, a Government determined' to prosecute the war and no less determined to lead India on to her political task. This Government, in the defence of India, is maintaining her capacity to wage war and safeguarding the interests of toe different sections of the people at this critical juncture. This task toe Government will discharge in the face of toe challenge now thrown down, but with the desire that action shall be preventive of interruption of the war effort rather than punitive and with full consciousness of its responsibility to India and the cause of the Allies and civilization toe Government appeals to toe people of India to unite with it in resistance to toe present challenge, laying aside all political differences for toe period of the war.”