§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether they are in a position to make a statement as to their policy in relation to India.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (VISCOUNT CRAN-BORNF.) (Lord Cecil)My Lords, I am very glad to make a statement in answer to the noble Viscount's question. A statement has been made in another place to-day by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister, and I shall use the same terms. The crisis in the affairs of India arising out of the Japanese advance has made us wish to rally all the forces of Indian life to guard their land from the menace of the invader. In August, 1940, a full statement was made about the aims and policy which, we are pursuing in India. This amounted, in short, to a promise that as soon as possible after the war India should obtain Dominion status, in full freedom and equality with this country and the other Dominions, under a Constitution to be framed by Indians by agreement among themselves and acceptable to the main elements in Indian national life. This was, of course, subject to the fulfilment of our obligations for the protection of minorities, including the Depressed Classes, and of our treaty obligations to the Indian States, and to the settlement of certain lesser matters arising out of our long association with the fortunes of the Indian sub-continent.
However, in order to clothe these general declarations with precision and to convince all classes, races and creeds in India of our sincere resolve, the War Cabinet have agreed unitedly upon conclusions for present and future action, which, if accepted by India as a whole, would avoid the alternative dangers either that the resistance of a powerful minority might impose an indefinite veto on the wishes of a majority, or that a majority 226 decision might be taken which would be resisted to a point destructive of internal harmony and fatal to the setting up of a new Constitution. We had thought of setting forth immediately the terms of this attempt by a constructive British contribution to aid India in the realization of full self-government. We are, however, apprehensive that to make a public announcement at such a moment as this might do more harm than good. We must first assure ourselves that our scheme would win a reasonable and practical measure of acceptance and thus promote the concentration of all Indian thought and energies upon the defence of the native soil. We should ill serve the common cause if we made a declaration which would be rejected by essential elements in the Indian world, and which provoked fierce constitutional and communal disputes at the moment when the enemy is at the gates of India. Accordingly, we propose to send a member of the War Cabinet to India to satisfy himself upon the spot by personal consultation that the conclusions upon which we are agreed, and which we believe represent a just and final solution, will achieve their purpose. My right honourable friend the Lord Privy Seal has volunteered to undertake this task. He carries with him the full confidence of His Majesty's Government and he will strive in their name to procure the necessary measure of assent, not only from the Hindu majority but also from those great minorities amongst which the Moslems are the most numerous and on many grounds pre-eminent.
The Lord Privy Seal will at the same time consult with the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief upon the military situation, bearing always in mind the paramount responsibility of His Majesty's Government, by every means in their power, to shield the peoples of India from the perils which now beset them. We must remember that India has a great part to play in the world struggle for freedom, that her helping hand must be extended in loyal comradeship to the valiant Chinese people who have fought alone so long. We must remember also that India is one of the bases from which the strongest counter-blows must be struck at the advance of tyranny and aggression. My right honourable friend will set out as soon as convenient and suitable arrangements can be made. I am sure that he 227 will command in his task the heartfelt good wishes of all parts of the House and that meanwhile no words will be spoken or debates be held, here or in India, which would add to the burden he has assumed in his mission or lessen the prospects of a good result.