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Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/253
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*? O (?
o o
( T H I S DOCUMENT I S THE PROPERTY OP H I S ' BRITANNIC
MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT).
COPY N o . Y ^
SECRET.
CP.
15
(35).
CABINET.
INDIA.
Appreciation
t h e Government
of
Circulated
by the
of
the P o l i t i c a l
India,
for
Secretary of
dated 18th
Situation
January
the information
State
for
India.
of
the
by
1935.
Cabinet
C o n f i d e n t i a l A p p r e c i a t i o n of the P o l i t i c a l S i t u a t i o n
i n I n d i a d a t e d 18th January 1935, i s s u e d
on t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e
f o r I i i d l a.
There
situation
filled
is
little
change
and t h e columns
with c r i t i c i s m s
Parliamentary
of
of
in the
all
the
rierwspapers a r e
details
Committee s R e p o r t .
of
The
1
Pederation passed a r e s o l u t i o n
political
that
the
still
Joint
Liberal
any
constitution
b a s e d on t h e R e p o r t w o u l d b e w h o l l y u n a c c e p t a b l e
shades.-of
saying
Indian p o l i t i c a l
"this
federation
does not
b a s e d on t h e R e p o r t " .
of
this
opinion,
support
resolution,
to
t h e o m i s s i o n of- any r e f e r e n c e
and c o n t e n d e d t h a t
repudiation
authority
given
of
this
o f His Majesty's
during
the debate
and s e c o n d Round T a b l e
The r e s o l u t i o n
introduce
of
that
of
but
t o what
politicians
will
refuse
the L i b e r a l
status"
to
a
after
the
the
the
pledge
first
extent
to
liberal
co-operate
i s brought
into
opinions
question
or
Pederation
in
did
not
recognition
d e c i s i o n must b e r e a c h e d
o r on t h e p l a t f o r m ,
Parliamentary
and o f
no doubt
in the press
s h a l l b e no a d v a n c e ,
"dominion
Government
Though s t r o n g
the
attention
made b y L o r d I r w i n on
uncertain.
that
Mr.Shastri,
Conferences.
Parliament,
forgotten
to
in Parliament
the f i n a l
c o n s t i t u t i o n when i t
legislation
drew s p e c i a l
the word " r e j e c t i o n " ,
the f a c t
want any
o m i s s i o n was t a n t a m o u n t
the d e c l a r a t i o n
all
which concluded by
The R i g h t H o n o u r a b l e
in
to
that
at
and m o d e r a t e
i n t h e new
effect
is
still
are expressed,
t h e p o i n t must n o t
issue
i s not
whether
recommended b y t h e
Committee, but whether
by
t h e advance
both
be
there
Joint
shall
b e more r a p i d .
not
A large
surprising
views,
that
politicians,
to
endorse openly
hesitate
and t h e r e b y l a y
extremists
themselves
of being
The R e p o r t
Provincial
moderate
advance b e i n g
: l
Anti
admitted
The f i n a l
that
seriously
as
trend of
point
a b o d y was a d v e r s e
that
wholesale
interest
were
maintained
the p r o p o s a l s
of
went
democracy.
Report.
B o t h members o f
and e x p l a n a t i o n
Chintamani,
were
the
a motion
Government
constitution
of
leader
day d e b a t e
high
dignified
avoided
condemnation.
some
features,
critics
enough.
characterise
autocracy
in the
t h e Government
t h e main f e a t u r e s
of
and
and f r i e n d l y
as t o
the
level.
d i d not go f a r
so f a r
aims as t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f
defence
the
not
was t h a t
Local
and r e c k l e s s
t r e n d was a d v e r s e
its
was
accepting
that
but the g e n e r a l
The Deputy P r e s i d e n t
Report
members
thougk d e t a i l s
speakers mentioned a p p r e c i a t i v e l y
that
the
the d e b a t e
In a three
w i t h one e x c e p t i o n ,
of
Governments.
Several
was m a i n t a i n e d on a f a i r l y
the mistake
the
Punjab.
United Provinces.
Speeches,
more
constitutional
from
i s no d o u b t
be worked i n t h e
discussion
of
the
shown b y
was t h a t
should be r e j e c t e d .
there
by
some o f
as
the
the Report
The c h i e f
the Report
conclude
to
proposals
discussions,
aspirations.
the magnitude o f
adverse
criticised.
Several
in these
resolution
a d v a n c e p r o p o s e d and t h e
will
a charge
g i v e n by P r o v i n c i a l
Indian
is
national".
and,
appreciations
does not s a t i s f y
that
open t o
it
moderate
the present
has been d i s c u s s e d i n
Legislatures
Punjab.
Council
even of
v i e w s have been e x p r e s s e d ,
following
certain,
garb
spoke
of
the o p p o s i t i o n ,
in
the
delivered
3.
a r e a s o n e d and v i g o r o u s
attack
on t h e R e p o r t
c l u d i n g "by s a y i n g t h a t h e much p r e f e r r e d
and
the
con­
existing
constitution.
But he
extra
d e v o t e d much o f
provincial
the Federal
India.
concern
Government,
Generally
attention
was a b a r e
separation
enthusiasm.
pervaded the p r o c e e d i n g s ,
Report
in
unamended p a s s a g e
states
that
into
a t t r a c t e d no a t t e n t i o n
Provinces
circles,
is
v/ith t h e r e p o r t
given
in
represented
boycotted
outside
large
seems t o
The f i n a n c i a l
unfavourable
to
that
own
displeased
now
poorly
to
all
Congress
provincial
councils)
Europeans
willingness
party­
t o work
and
the
recommendations were r e g a r d e d
t h e p r o v i n c e and t h e
communal
the
award,
condemned b y
The d e p r e s s e d c l a s s e s made i t
t h e y would o n l y a c c e p t
conditions.
Congress
what i s
t h o u g h d e f e n d e d b y M u s l i m s , was s t r o n g l y
caste Hindus.
further
future.
depressed c l a s s e s ,
expressed t h e i r
and
have
element not
must b e remembered t h a t
elections
the
Central
outside
accept
of
Government
E x t r e m e Hindu o p i n i o n was
(it
recent
an e a s y
the p r e s s .
that,
there
frequently
the B i l l
report
from
little
second day
Commons i n f a v o u r
and d i s p o s e d t o
the l a s t
Muslims a l l
attracted
The L o c a l
the
a fairly
b u t Hindu l i b e r a l s ,
system.
law.
t h e hope o f more i n
Bengal.
Aden and Burma
unreality
for
of
of
c a u s e d n o doubt b y t h e
Government r e p o r t
there
of
assure
in d i s t r i c t s ,
of
On t h e
t h e House o f
w h i c h seemed t o
constitution
the debate
quorum and an a i r
large majority
speech to m a t t e r s
such as t h e
speaking,
and l e s s
his
alterations
clear
on
their
as