INDIANS APPEAL FOR UNITY

Southland Times, Issue 24825, 18 August 1942, Page 5

INDIANS APPEAL FOR UNITY

MOSLEMS URGED TO TAKE INITIATIVE

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 16. Rioting and destruction continue in a number of centres in India, but there is general agreement in responsible quarters, both Indian and British, that the first phase —that of violent disorder —has almost passed. There is every indication that the Government forces are capable of maintaining the law and order they have restored with such 7 President of the Liberal Federation, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, today urged the British Government to send a delegation to India to negotiate. “We cannot allow to continue that hooliganism rightly denounced by Mr Rajagopalachariar, the former Madras Congress Party leader,” he says. “Things have gone so far that mutual discussions with broad-minded Parliamentarians are ruled out as impossible either on the ground of prestige or as an evidence of weakness. Overshadowing everything is the danger from an enemy who alertly follows events in India from day to day and is carrying on propaganda by radio which is apt still further to inflame the situation. INTERVIEW WITH VICEROY Sir Tej and Mr Rajagopalachariar are going to Delhi this week. Sir Tej is meeting the Viceroy, the Marquess of Linlithgow, and it is reported that he may mediate between the Government and the Congress Party. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, leader of the Moslem League,. interviewed, said: “If Britain, in attempting to seek peace

with Congress, attempts to sacrifice the Moslems we will terminate co-opera-tion. We have gone far enough. Mr Rajagopalachariar said: “The Moslem League should take the initiative. Mr Jinnah cannot be oblivious to the growing demand among his own people for the immediate enforcement of a practical solution. A provisional Government can and must be formed which will truly speak for the whole nation and can peremptorily demand from Britain the transfer of full power, making impossible any false plea or procrastination on behalf of British imperialism. The Moslem League can take it for granted that' Congress agrees to fight for self-deter-mination for federation units and that they may choose to be separate and sovereign, being bound to the rest of India only for defence against foreign aggression.” An ordnance has been issued in Delhi conferring powers on military officers from the rank of captain upwards to protect property, even by such forces as may cause death. The ordnance applies to all British India and gives the same power to officers of equal rank in the armies of the Allies. The Working Committee of the Moslem League met in camera today according to an agency message and discussed for three hours the recent Congress decision and the events following it. It was learned that Mr Jinnah addressed the meeting on the lines of statements already made by him, asking the Moslems to keep aloof from the Congress movement and warning Congressmen not to coerce or cajole the Moslems to join in. Sir Marapant Joshi and other citizens of the Central Provinces have issued a statement condemning lawlessness. The Government of the United Provinces in a Press communique issued in Lucknow states that after a spell of disturbances the towns in the province are settling down again, and quiet prevails at Meerut, Agra, Cawnpore, Allahabad and Lucknow. The mills are working normally and no incident has been reported. Benares is also returning to normal and Congress committees in the State have been declared unlawful bodies.