Sardar Patel reiterates conditions for League joining Interim Government
BOMBAY CHRONICLE - 25 November 1946
In a speech rivalling that to Pt. Nehru's performance on Thursday in its outspoken rss, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel delivered a broadside against the Muslim League at the open session of the Congress here today. In the clearer possible terms he said that if the League did not enter the Constituent Assembly there was no alternative for them except to get out of the Interim Government.
Referring to the correspondence which has passed between Pt. Nehru and the Viceroy released today. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel pointed out how Pt. Nehru had made two points clear.
One was that it is the League came into the Interim Government it was to work as a team and not as a separate group.
Secondly, he had said that the League could not enter the Interim Government unless they accepted the Cabinet Mission's Proposal of May 16.
The Viceroy agreed with this position and said that the League too had accepted it. Mr. Ji nah has often accused the British Government of bad faith and of double-crossing. It is now upto the Viceroy to settle accounts with Mr. Ji nah. We have nothing to do with this quarrel, Sardar Patel said.
At the same time he made it clear that as far as the Congress was concerned they were going to stick to their seats. "We will stay there;we will work effectively and we will function as a Cabinet", Sardar Patel emphasised.
They would, however, resign the moment they felt convinced that the British Government was going back upon their promises. Their resignations were always in their pockets, but these would not be submitted unless Britain perjured herself and had her name blackened among the nations of the world.
Meanwhile they would not surrender to the war of nerves and resign. They would have to be dismissed.
If Pt. Nehru thrilled the people, the Sardar roused them to anger by his caustic sallies.
Referring to the widespread disturbances which in his view were the result of the political policy of the Muslim League, Sardar Patel said that the time had come for the people to defend themselves. "They can ask for Pakistan? They can ask for all India", he said. But this method would not pay, Poison would produce poison and the sword would ultimately have to be met by the sword. Therefore, he made on behalf of the entire Congress one last appeal to the League to desist from its present course and arrive at a peaceful agreement with the Congress.
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