PROPOSALS IN INDIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1942, Page 3

PROPOSALS IN INDIA

REPLY STILL DELAYED DEFENCE CONTROL THE VITAL ISSUE. SERIOUS DIVISION INDICATED. LONDON, April 1. In New Delhi, Sir Stafford Cripps lias continued his interviews with Indian leaders. The Working Committee of Congress continued its dis- * missions this morning. An observer reports that the committee probably will take another day to draft its resolutions. The latest development is that Sir Stafford Cripps has asked the Congress president and the Congress leader to meet him again. One report says it is believed that the British proposals may be accepted, subject to some reservation in regard to defence. It is felt that changes in the Government would have little meaning unless the civil administration were given some control over defence.

DEADLOCK FEARED FAILING COMPROMISE ON DEFENCE. . TACTICS OF MOSLEM LEAGUE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) LONDON, March 31. It seems that'only an eleventhhour compromise bn the question of the control of India’s defence during the war can prevent a deadlock in the discussions on the selfgovernment proposals. The Indian parties are united on at least one thing—opposition to Britain’s decision to control defence till the end of the war. On the other,hand, Sir Stafford Cripps emphatically reiterated that Britain was not yielding on this point. In postponing further discussion on the proposals till April 3 the Moslem League, which is expected to be favourable to the scheme, has virtually decided to hold its hand, probably being convinced that Congress will reject the proposals. It is understood that Sir Stafford Cripps has informed the Indian leaders of the Viceroy’s willingness to have an Indian defence member on his executive council, but without control over operations and strategy, which would remain the Commander-in-Chief's concern under the direction of the War Cabinet. The Congress working committee, including the party’s official leader, Pandit Nehru, has unanimously decided to reject the proposals, says the British United Press New Delhi correspondent. It is understood that Mr Nehru previously pleaded strongly for acceptance 'of the proposals with reservations which proved entirely unacceptable to Sir Stafford Cripps.

FACTION FIGHTING HINDUS & MOSLEMS CLASH. FATAL & OTHER CASUALTIES. BOMBAY, March 31. Clashes between rival factions during the weekend resulted in seven persons being killed and 14 injured. Two were killed and six injured in clashes between Hindus and Moslems at Jalgaon, where tension continues with sporadic nightly affrays. The police arrested 35 people, banned gatherings of over five persons and prohibited the possession of weapons. In another Hindu-Moslem affray at Begusarai, in Bihar province, two were killed and three injured. At Lucknow three were killed and five seriously injured in a clash between rival sects of Moslems during a procession which the Moslems organised in defiance of a magistrate’s ban. The police fired over a defiant Moslem crowd, which stormed a police outpost and stoned the policemen. A curfew has been imposed on Moslems in Lucknow.