INDIAN WAR EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 July 1941, Page 6

INDIAN WAR EFFORT

ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES ENLARGED EXECUTIVE AND DEFENCE COUNCILS. MR LEOPOLD AMERY’S HOPES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, Noon.) RUGBY, July 22. Important administrative changes, designed to increase the efficiency of the Indian war effort and to associate Indian public opinion more closely with the defence of the country, have been announced by the Governor-General. As a result of increased pressure of work in connection with the war, it has been decided to enlarge the Executive Council by the addition of five new posts, thus giving the Viceroy a War Cabinet with a marked majority of Indian public men instead of the former European and official majority. The King has approved the following appointments to the five new seats on the council:— Supply, Sir Hormusji Mody. Information, Sir Akbar Hydari. Civil Defence, Mr Raghavendra Ras. Labour. Malik Air Firozkhan Noon. Indians Overseas, Mr Madhas Shrihari Aney. It may be noted that Mr Aney last November led the Congress Party in opposition to the Supplementary War Budget. Other new appointments are those of Sir Syed Sultan Ahmed, as Law Member, and Mr Nalini Ranjan Sarkar. as member for Education, Health and Lands, filling vacancies caused by the recent appointment to other posts of Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan and Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai (Agent-General in the! United States). Secondly, his Majesty's Government, in pursuance of a desire to associate Indian non-official opinion as fully as possible with the prosecution of the war, has approved the Viceroy’s recommendation for the establishment, of a National Defence Council, the first meeting of which will be held next month. The council, about thirty members strong, will include representatives of the Indian States ana Provinces and other elements in national life. AN INSISTENT DEMAND. It was emphasised by the Secretary for India (Mr Leopold Amery), speaking in London, that the changes are not concerned with the constitutional future of India, where progress at present is impossible, but. are intended purely to increase administrative efficiency during the war and to tap a vast reservoir of hitherto unused ability, despite the refusal of the Congress Party and the Moslem League to co-operate. The creation of the Defence Council associates with India’s war effort representatives of all influential sections in the community and answers an insistent demand, which the Viceroy felt should not indefinitely be refused just because of the intransigence of party leaders. The members are invited by the Viceroy, but are mostly chosen representatives of various communities and interests. The council includes the Premiers of the four provinces where provincial autonomy is still functioning. Women are represented by Gegum Shah Mawaz and other interests represented by persons of standing and independence are commerce, labour, the Army, Parsees, scheduled cases (depressed classes), Indian Christians and Anglo-In-dians. The council, which is advisory, will meet at intervals in secret to receive confidential information on the war position and will act as a valuable liaison between the provincial war effort and the central authorities. Satisfaction is expressed at the public spirit of the Indians who have thus come forward, as well as confidence that the effect of these steps will be far-reaching and cannot but influence future political developments in India by an infusion of the spirit of practical co-operation between all classes for a common purpose.

“I cannot help hoping,” Mr Amery said, “that in the course .of working together, whether on the , Executive Council or on the National Defence Council, in the common interests of all parties, representatives of this new move of the Viceroy will be .drawn more closely together and will find points of mutual understanding and sympathy which may immensely facilitate a solution of these very difficult inter-communal and inter-party problems which today are the main obstacle to India’s attainment of her rightful position as a free and equal member of the British Commonwealth.” GANDHI’S COMMENT CONGRESS DEMANDS NOT MET. (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) BOMBAY, July 22. Mr Gandhi, commenting on the expansion of the Executive Council and the establishment of a National Det'encc Council, said: "It does not affect the stand taken by Congress and fails to meet Congress demands."