Shocking Fumble

No one was surprised last week when Mohamed Ali Jinnah once again slammed the door on Indian unity. The predominantly Hindu All-India Congress Party had neatly cornered Jinnah early in January, by substantially agreeing to his conditions for Moslem League participation in the constitution-making Assembly. Then Congress Party Boss Vallabhbhai Patel committed an amazing political fumble.

His stooge in the Punjab Province coalition government, Bhim Sen Sachar, abruptly ordered suppression of the League's "National Guard," arrested several prominent Punjab Moslem leaders. Moderate Punjabi Prime Minister Malik Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana tried to remedy the damage, but the Moslems delightedly courted further arrest. Jinnah screamed "uncalled-for aggression," declared that the League could never join Hindus in a unified Assembly, asked Britain to dissolve the body. The Chamber of Indian Princes also slapped at the Congress Party, indicating that Moslem members might join with Jinnah in opposing Indian unification. The princes were sore at what the Nawab of Bhopal called a "campaign of misrepresentation and vilification of the princely order."

Before the Assembly convenes again in April, the British (who only want to get out) would have to recast or reaffirm their India policy--unless Patel could re-corner Jinnah and mollify the nawabs and maharajas.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.