Evening star., 1942-01-05
Move Urged
To Avert Political
Crisis in India
Some Bold Stroke at
Once Asked by Group
OF IS Leaders
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW DELHI, India, Jan. 5-A
group of IS distinguished Indian
leaders appealed directly to Prime
Minister Churchill yesterday for
some bold stroke of far-sighted
craftsmanship without delay" to
avert a political crisis in India and
insure her full cooperation in
Britain's war effort.
The plea, cabled to Mr.. Churchill
in Washington, was placed above
Indian party politics, for none Of the
signers is now active in the Congress
Party or Moslem League-the two
dominant political factions.
The signers, representing some OF
the influential, but less vocal, mod
crate and liberal circles in Indian
opinion, asked the Prime Minister
to declare at once that:
india will no longer be treated as
a dependency to be ruled from
Whitehall and henceforth her con-
stitutional position and powers will
be identical with those of other
units of the British Commonwealth"
Four Measures Proposed.
Proposing that the question Of
permanent constitution be shelved
until after the war the group rec
commended that the following four
measures be inaugurated immedi-
ately:
l. Conversion and expansion OF
the Central Executive Council into
a truly national government
subject only to responsibility 10 the
crown"
2. Restoration of popular govern
ments in the provinces. or, failing
this. the establishment of non
official executive councils respon-
sible to the crown"
3. Recognition of India's right
to direct representation in the i'm
perial war cabinet if one is estab-
lished, in all Allied war councils
and at the peace conference"
4. Consultation with the national
government on the same footing as
VIC uOilhiAoAA SoNSilAihCAOo.
First Appeal of Kind
The appeal. first such message |
directed to Mr.. Churchill, ended:
Knowing intimately the feelings |
and aspirations of our countrymen |
as we do, we must express our con-
viction that nothing less than |
Inauguration of this policy can re-
solve the crisis in India. The
urgency of immediate action cannot
be over emphasized.
"We appeal to you in all sincerity
but with the greatest emphasis to
act while there will be time for
such action, so that India may line
up with the other anti-Axis powers
on a footing of absolute equality
with them in the common struggle
for freedom of humanity"
The signers, led by Sir Tel
Bahadur Sapru, have distinguished
records of service in Indian public |
life, at least three having been
members of the Privy Council.
Members Of Group.
Including in the group were T.
r. Venkatarama Sastri. v. S.
Srinivasa Sastri, Sir p. s. Sivaswaui
Aiyer, Sir Jatdish Prasad, Raja Sir
Maharaj Singh, Sir Chunilal Be |
Mehta, Sir Rahmitoola Chinoy, Sir
M. v. JOSH, Sachidananda Sinha,
Mohomad Yunus. Sir S. Radhak- /
rishnan, NJ r. Jayakar, Sir Rag /
hunath Paranjype and j. N. r.
Mehta.
Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's execu-
tive council met with him Saturday
in Calcutta to consider the comph-
cations involved in the Congress
party's recent decision to abandon
the leadership of Mohandas K.
Gandhi and his policy OF non
violence. -.
The council is unlikely to meet
again, however, until after the
viceroy's return to Delhi from tour
the middle of January. .-:
Many observers believe the first
result of the Congress party,s action
will be a resumption of legislative
activity in the central and provin-
cial assemblies. u