The speech has attracted too little notice in London. We
read in the Manchester Guardian that Mr. Sastri and his friends demand "responsible Government" at the Centre and in the Provincial Legislatures, though the departments of Foreign Affairs and War would be provisionally reserved to the Imperial Government, and the rights of the Native States and of the minority communities would be specially safeguarded. This is the Moderate version of "independence." Mr. Sastri thinks it natural enough that the Princes and the minorities should doubt the impartiality of a Government which would in the main be Hindu. He stated emphatic- ally, however, that in his opinion the form of government for which he asked would receive sufficient support all over ludin to be workable. No doubt he reckons upon the scheme being attractive enough to detach many of those who now hold out for the Congress version of independence. In this matter we have to consider the risks of refusal as well as the risks of acceptance. It would be impossible to govern permanently against the will of Moderate India as well as of Extreme India.
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