TALKS WITH GANDHI

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 September 1942, Page 4

TALKS WITH GANDHI

MAHASABHA APPLICATION REJECTED BY VICEROY. APPEALS FOR NEGOTIATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, Noon.) NEW DELHI, September. 16. It is understood that the Viceroy (Lord Linlithgow) has rejected the recent application by the committee of the Hindu Manasabha for permission to discuss the political situation with Mr Gandhi and other detained Congress leaders. Sir T. J. Sapru and Mr M. R. Jayakar, who are representatives of an Indian non-party group, have issued a joint statement: “Even now an attempt should be made to establish a National Government with the help of the Moslem League, Hindu Mahasabha and other political parties, who should be left free to negotiate with the Congress leaders behind bars.” Mr Joshi, Labour member for Bombay, in a statement in the Legislative Assembly said: “Indians want to win the war and fight the Japanese. The Government has blundered in dealing with the problem. It was wrong not to take advantage of negotiation and wrong to arrest members of Congress while there was still a change of negotiation. The Government must retrieve the situation by taking the initiative for conciliation. The members of the Congress Party cannot be asked to call off their movement while they are in gaol. The Government should release them.” It is officially announced that Japanese air raids on British India killed 285 persons. The Joint Secretary of the Civil Defence Department stated that Japanese planes had carried out raids against British India primarily against military targets. There had been no attacks since May.