INDIAN LEADERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1943, Page 4

INDIAN LEADERS

PLEA FOR ACCESS TO GANDHI REJECTED BY VICEROY. NO COMPROMISE WITH LAWLESS VIOLENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day. 12.50 p.m.) NEW DELHI, April 1. The Viceroy (Lord Linlithgow) has rejected the request of Mr Rajagopalachari and other Indian leaders who, in a memorandum to the Viceroy, asked for facilities to visit Mr Gandhi in order to ascertain his reaction to events since his arrest, and to explore avenues towards reconciliation. They contend-, ed that war time economic problems can be tackled only by a Government enjoying the people's loyal co-opera-tion and that hence a solution is essential. Lord Linlithgow, in replying, pointed out that the signatories of the memorandum did not condemn the Congress campaign of violence as the public was entitled to expect. The Viceroy emphasised that organised violence and crime, for which preparations had previously been made and which were followed by the arrest of Gandhi and others, had encouraged the Axis Powers and severely affected India’s war effort. Lord Linlithgow said that neither Gandhi nor the leaders had condemned these activities, and while the Congress creed was unchanged India would again be exposed to grave danger if the Congress were given full liberty of action. If Gandhi was prepared to repudiate the Congress resolution of last August and condemn incitements to violence and also if he and the Congress Party were prepared to give assurances acceptable to the Government for the future, then the matter could be further considered.