18 FEBRUARY 1938, Page 2

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Crisis in India The resignation of the Congress Ministries in Bihar and the United Provinces has brought India face to face with her first constitutional crisis under the new India Act. The Minis- tries had ordered the release of the political prisoners itt their respective provinces. The Governors, acting under instruc- tions from the Governor-General, refused to accept their advice and are faced With the prospect of setting up minority Ministries and of governing without the Assemblies. In either case,. the new Constitution will not be achieving the purpose for which it is intended. The Governors are per- fectly willing to consider any and every individual case on its merits, but refuse a mass-amnesty regardless of merits. That is a perfectly sound position, but it might well be better to throw responsibility on the Ministries after warning them of the possible consequences of their action. Both men and Ministries learn more by making mistakes than by being saved from making them. The most disturbing part of the affair is the title claimed by the Indian National Congress to dictate to Provincial Ministries whether and when they should resign.