Realism in India
In a general statement he made on Monday Mr. Rajagopalachari, the ex-Premier of Madras (with its population of 50 millions) showed that India at this critical moment need not lack leadership. He had just resigned from the Congress Working Committee and seen his resolution favouring the recognition of the Moslems' Pakistan policy voted down in the All-India Congress Committee by an overwhelming majority, a misfortune mitigated only slightly by the declaration by the President Congress, Maulana Azad, of willingness to open conversations with Moslem League representatives. Conscious of the sterility and unreality of the whole Congress attitude (which involves meeting the invading Japanese with "complete non-violent co-operation), Mr. Rajagopalachari makes his own appeal in the interests of the defence of India. He hopes to form a coalition government in Madras, at a moment when that great province is directly threatened from the sea, and sets himself to convert the Hindus of India as a whole to co-operation with the Moslems. He would organise in Madras a Home Guard, which could begin drilling even before it got equipment. His programme, he says, will be "not anti-British, but ants-slavery." It is too soon to assess the response to the appeal. But here at least is realism, and an opportunity for creating a unity in war, or preparation for war, which may breed a new unity in peace.
