Evening star., 1944-07-21
Letters to The Star
Defends Gandhi and Congress
~ National "Idealists"

To the Editor Of The star:
Your editorial OF July IA, entitled
"Gandhi Reconsiders," is SO illogical
that some refutation Is required.
Your first statement, that Gandhls
recent approach to the Muslin League
reveals changed attitude Is incorrect.
Gandhi's suggestion to Jinnah Is mere
ly q restatement and clarification of
the Congress statement of May, l942,
indicating willingness to accept the re-
suits of plebiscite Of the entire adult
population of any province which sup
posedly desires Pakistan. Jinnah re-
fused then as now, claiming that the
vote should be by Moslems only. The
Congress refused this demand because
1t might result In vote by q minority
OF the population determining the fu-
ture Of the entire population, hardly q
democratic ideal.
It is hard to understand the logic
followed In your editorial. The second
paragraph states: THE method OF de-
limitation indicated by Mr.. Gandhi Is
loaded from the start In favor OF the
Hindus, p1ebicites being restricted to
those districts where the Moslems have
. clear majority" If the Moslems have
q clear majority" would it not seem
that the issue is loaded" in favor OF
the Moslems?
Gandhi again has offered self-de-
termination--an American IDEAL 1t has
always meant majority decision. Does
The Star recommend permitting q
minority to coerce the majority?
Your editorial then attacks Gandhi's
offer for disregarding other minority
groups, ie., the Sikhs and the de
pressed classes" Please tell us when
the Sikhs demanded a separate State,
except as a counterblast to Pakistan.
You say the depressed classes fear a
Congress dominated by a "Brahmin
oligarchy." That is mis-statement of
fact: The Indian National Congress is
not dominated by Brahmins. Numerical
ly Brahmins constitute minority in
the Congress. Brahmins do not form
close-knit unit in the Congress and do
not follow "Brahmin- line" The Con-
gress Working Committee, the execu-
tive body of the Congress, hardly ever
has had more than one-third Brahmin
membership. Untouchables have held
high posts in the Congress.
Your other slurs on the Congress are
even more unjustifiable. If the resolu-
tions passed by the Congress from 1899
to 1912 are read, in toto, it Is evident
that the Congress was absolutely un-
compromising in its opposition to Fas-
cism. Naziism and Japanism-especial-
ly the last named.
When the Japanese menace ap-
preached India, the Congress instructed
all Indians to resist the Japs by the
only means available to an unarmed
and unframed people-passive resist
ance to the last drop of blood. Simui-
taneously, the Congress pleaded for a
national government that could prepare
the people for active resistance. The
Congress also pleaded for guns with
which to fight the japanese. Britain re-
fused. The Congress asked for a ma
tional government, carefully leaving de-
fense power to the Allied Forces and
clearly stating that the Congress did
not demand that Allied troops leave
India The British government retali-
ated by locking the Congress up.
During the time that the Congress
has been locked up, Jinnah and the
British have been castigating it for
not meeting Jinnah's demand for
Pakistan. Upon release, Gandhi sug-
gested a democratic means of solving
the Pakistan areas abiding by q ma
jority vote. In Of the areas the
Moslems have an overwhelming ma
jority of the population and therefore
Jinnah should have nothing to fear.
provided the Moslems are in favor Of
Pakistan.
Unfortunately your editorial con-
tributes heat, not light, to the problem.
Someday India will be free and pow
erful nation. If India is friendly to the
U. S. A., we will profit tremendously by
trade with India. Your type of editorial
is not destined to gain us Indian friend
ship or respect
JAMES c. McCOLLUMB.