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    DR Rajendra Prasad Correspondence and Select Documents Vol 9 Walmiki Chaudhary

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    Dushant Khobragade

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    ALLIED PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED Prarthna Flats (Ist Floor), Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380069 15 J.N, Heredia Marg, Ballard Estate, Bombay 400038 3-5-1129 Kachiguda Cross Road, Hyderabad 500027 Patiala House, 16A Ashok Marg, Lucknow 226001 Sth Main Road, Gandhinagar, Bangalore 560009 17 Chittaranjan Avenue, Calcutta 700072 13/14 Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110002 751 Mount Road, Madras 600002 First Published: 1987 © Dr. Rajendra Prasad Vichar Sansthan, 1987 ISBN 81-7023-002-0 ISBN 81-7023-012-8 Published by R.N. Sachdev and printed by Ravi Sachdev at Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd.. A-104 Mayapuri, Phase II, New Delhi-110064 . PREFACE I feel happy to place the present volume (ninth in the series) in the hands of the readers, historians and research scholars. This volume contains -valuable documents and correspondence covering the period April to July 1948, when Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Congress President as also the President of the Con- stituent Assembly. The correspondence is, therefore, of historical significance. Along with the country, the Punjab had been partitioned into West Punjab and East Punjab and during the period covered by this volume, the problem of East Punjab had become difficult politically. The Ministry in the East Punjab had to be reconstituted with the Akali Party being asked to join hands with the Congress in forming the Government in the State. Letters reproduced at serial Nos. 6, 11, 12, 37 and 228 throw significant light on this episode. The Congress was committed to reorganisation of the States (earlier knownas Provinces) on linguistic basis—although in retrospect this does not appear to be a right thing to do. However, this work of reorganising the States had also been taken in hand during this period. Bengal too had been partitioned in 1947 and in West Bengal also the Ministry ~ had to be reconstituted in 1948 under the leadership of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. The readers will find Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s advice and guidance.given in this connection to Dr. Roy and other West Bengal leaders in his capacity as Congress President both interesting and educative. ‘ : There is a misconception among our countrymen that the differences between Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on Hindu Code Bill had surfaced only after Dr. Rajendrd Prasad became the President of India. This was not so; the fact was that the Hindu Code Bill had been brought for consideration before the Constituent Assembly (Legislature) as early as in April 1948 and Dr. Prasad had opposed the consideration and passage of this Bill by the Constituent Assembly on the ground that it had been ‘elected and constituted specifically for framing the Constitution of free India and had been.converted into a legislative body with the limited purpose of taking care of day-to-day legislative measures, till a duly elected Parliament of Independent India based on universal adult franchise was constituted. Dr. Prasad was, therefore, of the view that such a body was not competent to consider and pass a social legislation of such great significance and importance which when passed would vitally affect the lives of the members of the majority community of the country. He expressed his views in a note which he sent to the Prime Minister with the request that it be read at the meeting of the Congress Assembly Party when the Hindu Code Billcomes up for discussion. The note is reproduced-below: Preface The Bill codifying the Hindu Law is now before the Constituent Assembly sitting as Legislature. Apart from the merits of the measure there are certain aspects which require consideration. The Bill embodies the recommendations of a Committee which went round the country and recorded evidence, That evidence is overwhelmingly against many of the most important recommendations of the Committee. It is true that the progressive elements in the country have supported it but the entire population will be affected by its drastic provisions which introduce fundamental changes in the personal law of the Hindus as it has been prevalent in the different parts of the country. There isa large section which under the same law is governed in many qaatters by a customary law. That section is equally affected by the Bill. The question is whether the present Constituent Assembly, sitting as the Central Legislature, combining the functions both of the Legislative Assembly and the Council of State, should take up and pass such a controversial measure to which very large sections of the people directly affected are opposed. As stated above, the evidence recorded by the Committee, whose report is the basis of this Bill, was overwhelmingly against its most important proposals. The Bill has not been circulated for public opinion by the Assembly. The Bill was taken up on 9-4-1948. That day happened to be the last day of the session and that hour was practically the last hour of the session. As was to be expected, it was referred to a Select Committee, which has met and whose report may come up before the next session of the Assembly, commencing on the 9th August. The Assembly too is hardly competent to deal with such a fundamental matter. It was elected for the special purpose of framing the Constitution of India and naturally the electorate had only the framing of the Constitution before it, when it elected its representatives. By a make- shift arrangement, the Assembly so elected has been converted into a Legislature, combining in it the functions both of the Legislative Assembly and the Council of State, thus doing away with such safeguard as a second chamber may provide against hurried and hasty legislation. The matter is of fundamental importance to everyone who is governed by the Hindu Law. It substitutes, for the concepts and the reasons underlying that law, new concepts and new ideas which are not only foreign to Hindu Law but may cause disruption in every family. Such a proposal has never been placed before the electorate, which has never had an opportunity to express itself on it. Whatever discussion on the merits of the measure has taken place will, on an analysis, be found to consist of progressive elements being in favour and the vast bulk of the Hindu mass opposed to it. No serious or widespread effort appears to have been made to educate and instruct the masses of peopie in favour of the proposed measure. Its passage, therefore, will be tantamount to forcing a measure of a most fundamental character, introducing basic changes in their personal law, on the Hindus in furtherance of the progressive ideas of a small if not a Preface . vii microscopic minority, and ail this is to be done without reference to the electorate and by a Legislature which ‘is competent only for drawing a Constitution but not elected with a view to effecting amendments in the personal law of the largest community in the country. There is, besides, no such urgency about the matter. The Hindus have put up with their personal law for a long time and may well wait till the new Constitution comes into force. It is not a long way off when the electorate may be given a chance by the parties participating in the election to express itself on it. The Assembly will be taking a great responsibility in passing such a measure in the circumstances stated above. 7 . Rajendra Prasad = 31.7.48 A number of letters were exchanged between the then Prime Minister and Dr. Rajendra Prasad on this subject even before and after the aforesaid note. These letters can be seen at serial Nos. 201, 205, 214, 224 and 232. Dr. Rajendra Prasad had very clear views on the Hindu Code Bill both regarding its basic objectives and the constitutional points involved. He was a person who would take up a position on any issué only on the basis of solid and correct arguments after giving chance to others to be convinced about it. He did not believe in stereotyped arguments. This was the reason that once he decided to followa line of action after full consideration he never looked back or abandoned the chosen path whatever the difficulties. The correspondence of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, whatever the subject, was always above controversy, Even controversial matters he dealt in a simple way and style characteristic of him. As a result even his opponents used to become his friends and admirers and expressed their respect and regard for him. The arrangement of the correspondence and other documents in the volume follows the pattern of the preceding volumes. Correspondence—Part J includes letters written by or written to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, while Correspondence— Part II contains letters exchanged between others, copies of which were sent to him for information, ‘advice and action. Other miscellaneous documents of * contemporary importance have been given in the Appendices. This volume is a living story of how and in.what way the various political, socio-economic and constitutional issues were sorted out and solved by Rajendra Babu. | present the volume to the readers with the hope and faith that it will bea source of inspiration to coming generations. I shall feel fully rewarded for my labour if the readers also feel the same way after going through this volume. VALMIKI CHOUDHARY . A-l{9"Pandara Road ' New Delhii-110003 2nd October 1987 frsarerst CONTENTS Preface BRPRRSSIRGESHSSernayvawne CORRESPONDENCE—PART I . From Abul Kalam Azad . To Hiralal Bose . From Dr, Bidhan Chandra Roy . From Kiran Sankar Roy . From Mridula Sarabhai . To Dr. Gopichand Bhargaya . From Major-General J.K. Bhonsle . To Bhimsen Sachar . To Prabhudayal Himatsingka . From Sadiq Ali . From Jawaharlal Nehru . To Dr. Gopichand Bhargava - To Jawaharlal Nehru ~ . From Bhimsen Sachar |. To T. Prakasam . To Sir B.N. Rau - To-Major-General J.K. Bhonsle . From Jawaharlal Nehru . To Kiran Sankar Roy . From Ranbir Singh Mehta . From Ravi Shankar Shukla . From Shankarrao Deo . From Ravi Shankar Shukla 24, . From A.K. Ghose 26. 27. 28. . From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy 30. BL. 32. From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From Vallabhbhai Patel From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy To Di. Bidhan Chandra Roy From Vallabhbhai Patel To Ravi Shankar Shukla From some Congress-members of the Madras Legislature * ~ 1 April 1948 2 April 1948 2 April 1948 2 April 1948 3 April 1948 4 April 1948 5 April 1948 5 April 1948~ 5 April 1948 5 April 1948 6 April 1948 7 April 1948 8 April 1948 8 April 1948 8 April 1948 9 April 1948 11 April 1948 11 April 1948 11 April 1948 11 April 1948 II April 1948 13 April 1948 14 April 1948 21 April 1948 22 April 1948 22 April 1948 23 April 1948 23 April 1948 23 April 1948 24 April 1948 24 April 1948 26 April 1948 - . From Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah . From Ravi Shankar Shukla . From Ravi Shankar Shukla . To Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah . From Jawaharlal Nehru . To K.C, Neogy . From B. Shiva Rao . From Shankarrao Deo . From A.K. Ghose . From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy . From Jawaharlal Nehru . To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy . To Dr. Gopichand Bhargava . To Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha . To Vallabhbhai Patel . From Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh . To Vallabhbhai Patel . To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy . To Sir B.N. Rau . To Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh . To Dr. Gopichand Bhargava and Pratap Singh . From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha . To Tarun Kumar Mozumdar . From Dr. Gopichand Bhargava . To Vallabhbhai Patel . To Vallabhbhai Patel . To V. Shankar . From Charan Singh : . From Niharendu Dutt Mazumdar . From Vallabhbhai Patel . From Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh . From Vallabhbhai Patel . From Vallabhbhai Patel . To Vallabhbhai Patel . To Dr. Gopichand Bhargava . To Bhimsen Sachar . From Vallabhbhai Patel . To the Secretary, Constituent Assembly of India To Vallabhbhai Patel . To Vallabhbhai Patel . To Niharendu Dutt Mazumdar . To Ravi Shankar Shukla 27 April 1948 27 April 1948 27 April 1948 28 April 1948 1 May 1948 5 May 1948 5 May 1948 5 May 1948 6 May 1948 6/7 May 1948 7 May 1948 7 May 1948 7 May 1948 7 May 1948 7 May 1948 8 May 1948 8 May 1948 9 May 1948 10 May 1948 10 May 1948 10 May 1948 10 May 1948 10 May 1948 11 May 1948 11 May 1948 11 May 1948 11 May 1948 11 May 1948 12 May 1948 12 May 1948 14 May 1948 14 May 1948 14 May 1948 - 14 May 1948 15 May 1948 15 May 1948 15 May 1948 16 May 1948 18 May 1948 “18 May 1948 18 May 1948 18 May 1948 Contents Contents 15. 76. 71. 2B. 2. * 80, gi. 82. 83. 84, 85, 86. 87, 88. 89, %. OL. 92, 93. 94, 95, 96. 97. 98, 99, 100. 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106. 107, 108. 109, 110, ae n2 1B, 14, Ns, 116, M7, To Venkatramani From Vallabhbhai Patel From Govind Ballabh Pant From Bhimsen Sachar From Baldev Singh From Bhimsen Sachar To Dr. Gopichand Bhargava From Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee To Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee To Nanik G. Motwane From Prithvi Singh Azad To Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh From Vallabhbhai Patel © From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy From Hiralal Bose From C. Rajagopalachari From Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru From Jayaprakash Narayan From Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh From Shankarrao Deo To Rafi Ahmed Kidwai From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy From Jawaharlal Nehru To Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel To Jawaharlal Nehru To A. Kaleswara Rao From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy From Shankarrao Deo To Prithvi Singh Azad To Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy Toc. Rajagopalachari To Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From K.G. Mashruwala To Jawaharlal Nehru To Jayaprakash Narayan From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy To Govind Ballabh Pant : To Govind Ballabh Pant To Harinath Misra From Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh 18 May 1948 18 May 1948 19 May 1948 " 21 May 1948 _ 21 May 1948 22 May 1948 22 May 1948 22 May 1948 22 May 1948 22 May 1948 22 May 1948 22 May 1948 23 May 1948 25 May 1948 25 May 1948 28 May 1948 29 May 1948 30 May 1948 30 May 1948 1 June 1948 2 June 1948 4 June 1948 6 June 1948 8 June 1948 8 June 1948 9 June 1948 9 June 1948 9 June 1948 10 June 1948 10 June 1948 Il June 1948 Il June 1948 I] June 1948 11 June 1948 12 June 1948 13 June 1948 13 June 1948 13 June 1948 13 June 1948 13 June 1948 13 June 1948 15 June 1948 © 16 June 1948 116 118 119 120 121 122 122 123 123 124 126 127 128 128 129 130 131 xii 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135, 136. 137, 138. 139, 140. 141. 142, 143. . To Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee 145. 146. 147, 148. 149, 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158, 159. 160. From Hiralal Bose To Dr. Gopichand Bhargava To Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh To K.G. Mashruwala To Govind Ballabh Pant To Hiralal Bose From Hiralal Bose To Members of the Congress Working Committee fe From Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee From M.S. Aney From Jawaharlal Nehru To Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru To Vallabhbhai Patel To Vallabhbhai Patel To Govind Ballabh Pant To Baldev Singh To Ravi Shankar Shukla From Ghanshiam Singh Gupta From Vallabhbhai Patel To Jawaharlal Nehru From Vallabhbhai Patel To Hiralal Bose From Vallabhbhai Patel To Abul Kalam Azad To M.S. Aney To Vallabhbhai Patel From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy To Vallabhbhai Patel To Govind Ballabh Pant From Dr. Lanka Sundaram To Vallabhbhai Patel To Jawaharlal Nehru -To Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru To Ghanshiam Singh Gupta To Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru . To Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha 16 June 1948 17 June 1948 17 June 1948 18 June 1948 18 June 1948, “18 June 1948 19 June 1948 20 June 1948 20 June 1948 21 June 1948 21 June. 1948 22 June 1948 22 June 1948 22 June 1948 22 June 1948 23 June 1948 23 June 1948 23 June 1948 23 June 1948 24 June 1948 24 June 1948 24 June 1948 24 June 1948 24 June 1948 25 June 1948 25 June 1948 25 June 1948 25 June 1948 25 June 1948 25 June 1948 26 June 1948 26 June 1948 26 June 1948 26 June 1948 26 June 1948 28 June 1948 28 June 1948 28 June 1948 28 June 1948 29 June 1948 29 June 1948 29 June 1948 29 June 1948 Contents 132 134 134 135 “137 137 138 139 139 141 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 151 152 153 154 155 155 156 156 157 157 158 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 167 168 169 169 170 170 Contents 161. 162. 163. 164, 165. 166. 167, 168. 169. 170. 171, 172. 173. 174, 175. 176. 177. 178. 179, 180. 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186. 187. 188. 189, 190. 191, 192. 193. 194, 195, 196. 197, 198, 199, 200. 201. 202. 203. To Dr. Lanka Sundaram From Vallabhbhai Patel From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy To Jawaharlal Nehru From Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee From Emest R. Millington _ From’Abul Kalam Azad To Vallabhbhai Patel To Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee From Vallabhbhai Patel To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy + From Kalipada Mukherjee To Dr. John Mathai From Dr. John Mathai From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy From Jawaharlal Nehru To Vallabhbhai Patel From Jawaharlal Nehru From Bhimsen Sachar To Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy To Jawaharlal Nehru From Govind Ballabh Pant To Vallabhbhai Patel To Bhimsen Sachar From B.F.H.B. Tyabji From Hiralal Bose To Govind Ballabh Pant To Ravi Shankar Shukla To M.R. Thosar From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From Mira Behn From Frank Anthony From Harbans Lal From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha To Mira Behn To Govind Ballabh Pant From R.L. Bainwal To the Premiers of all Provincial Governments To Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru To Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru From Shanmukham Chetty 29 June 1948 ~ 30 June 1948 30 June 1948 30 June 1948 30 June 1948 30 June 1948 2 July 1948 2 July 1948 3 July 1948 4 July 1948 4 July 1948 4 July 1948 5 July 1948 5 July 1948 6 July 1948 8 July 1948 8 July 1948 9 July 1948 9 July 1948 10 July 1948 10 July 1948 10 July 1948 10 July 1948 10 July 1948 10 July 1948 11 July 1948 12 July 1948 12 July 1948 12 July 1948 12 July 1948 13 July 1948 14 July 1948 15 July 1948 16 July 1948 16 July 1948 416 July 1948 17 July 1948 17 July 1948 19 July 1948 19 July 1948 21 July 1948 21 July 1948 22 July 1948 xiii 172 xiv 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. 216. 217. 218. 219. 220. 221. 222. 223. 224, 225. 226. 227. 228, 229, 230. 231, 232. 233. 234. 236, 237. 238. 1, From Jugal Kishore to all members of the 2 3. From Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru From M.O. Mathai To Jawaharlal Nehru To Shankarrao Deo From Baldev Singh From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha To Baldev Singh From G.D. Birla To Jawaharlal Nehru To Jawaharlal Nehru From M.P. Pai From Sri Krishna Sinha From Jogen Saikia To Shanmukham Chetty To Chengalrai Reddy From Mukat Behari Lal From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From Annada Prosad Choudhuri From K.A. Desai From Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru From K.M. Panikkar From Dr. Gopichand Bhargava From Master Tara Singh From Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha From Abul Kalam Azad To Abul Kalam Azad To Jawaharlal Nehru To Chamanlal From Jawaharlal Nehru . To Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru From Shanmukham Chetty To Vallabhbhai Patel 22 July 1948 22 July 1948 22 July 1948 23 July 1948 23 July 1948 23 July 1948 23 July 1948 24 July 1943 24 July 1948 24 July 1948 24 July 1948 24/26 July 1948 25 July 1948 25 July 1948 26 July 1948 26 July 1948 26 July 1948 26 July 1948 26 July 1948 27 July 1948 27 Suly 1948 27 July 1948 28 July 1948" 29 July 1948 29 July 1948 29 July 1948 29 July 1948 30 July 1948 30 July 1948 31 July 1948 31 July 1948 31 July 1948 31 July 1948 31 July 1948 31 July 1948 CORRESPONDENCE—PART II All India Congress Committee _ From Vallabhbhai Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru From Vallabhbhai Patel to Dr. B.R. . Ambedkar 7 April 1948 15 April 1948 . 15 April 1948 Contents 222 223 224 226 273 275 276 Contents 4 as 16, 17. 18. . From Mohini Mohan Barman and 20. 21. 22, From Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to Vallabhbhai Patel From Jugal Kishore to members of the Congress Working Committee . From Sri Krishna Sinha to Vallabhbhai Patel |. From A.K. Ghose to Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy . From A.K. Ghose to Dr. ‘Bidhan Chandra Roy . From Jawaharlal Nehru to Vallabhbhai Patel ). From Vallabhbhai Patel to Harekrushna Mahtab . From Harekrushna Mahtab to Vallabh- bhai Patel . From M.S. Aney to Sri Krishna Sinha . From Vallabhbhai Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru . From Jawaharlal Nehru to Vallabhbhai Patel . From M.S. Aney to Vallabhbhai Patel From Dr, B.R. Ambedkar to Jawaharlal Nehru From Jawaharlal Nehru to Dr. B, R, Ambedkar : From Vallabhbhai Patel to M.S. Aney Hem Chandra Naskar to the Leader of the West Bengal Congress Assembly Party From Hem Chandra Naskar and some other members of the Cabinet and the Congress Assembly Party of West Bengal to the Premier, West Bengal From Vallabhbhai Patel to Harekrushna Mahtab From Vallabhbhai Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru . From Jawaharlal Nehru to Vallabhbhai Patel 17 April 1948 17 April 1948 20 April 1948 22 April 1948 22 April 1948 22 April 1948 22 April 1948 22 April 1948 23 April 1948 26 April 1948 27 April 1948 28 April 1948 28 April 1948 30 April 1948 2 May 1948 6 May 1948 6 May 1948 12 May 1948 18 May 1948 20 May 1948 xv 276 277 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 284 286 - 286 290 292 292 293 293 294 294 xvi Contents 24. From Harekrushna Mahtab to Vallabh- 21 May 1948 295 bhai Patel : ‘ 25, From Harekrushna Mahtab to Vallabh- 21 May 1948 296 bhai Patel 26. From Vallabhbhai Patel to Sri Krishna 29 May 1948 297 Sinha 27. From Jawaharlal Nehru to all Cabinet 8 June 1948 298 Ministers : a 28. From Vallabhbhai Patel to Jawaharlal 15 June 1948 298 Nehru : 29. From Sri Krishna Sinha to Vallabhbhai 16 June 1948 299 Patel 30. From Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee to 16 June 1948 300 Vallabhbhai Patel 31. From Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee to 28 June 1948 301 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 32. From Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to Dr. Syama 29 June 1948 301 Prasad Mookerjee 33. From Jawaharlal Nehru to M.S. Aney 3 July 1948 303 34. From Basantalall Murarka to Abul 27 July 1948 303 -, Kalam Azad 35.*From Mukut Dhari Singh to Vallabh- 30 July 1948 304 bhai Patel APPENDICES . Resolutions passed by the Congress Working Committee on the 309 assassination of Mahatma Gandhi A letter from Abul Kalam Azad to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, dated 311 1 April 1948 3. A Jetter from Dr. Rajendra Prasad to Valmiki Choudhary, dated 311 4 April 1948 4. A letter from Dr. Rajendra Prasad to Valmiki Choudhary, dated . 312 10 April 1948 5. A letter from Dwarka Prasad Misra to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, dated 312 10 April 1948 6. A memorandum from A.K. Ghose and others of the West Bengal 312 Congress Assembly Party, dated 22 April 1948. 7. A note dated 22 April 1948 from Gulzariial Nanda on the need for 313 setting up 2 top committee to coordinate Congress work in the field of labour 8. Press report on the East Punjab Congress Workers’ Convention 316 9. Agenda for the Congress Working Committee meeting in New 317 Delhi on 30 April 1948 Nn Contents 20. 21, 22. 23. . Press communique issued by Dr. Rajendra Prasad on 1.November 25. a 26. 27. 29, 30. 3 |. Press statement by Bhimsen Sachar, dated 4 May 1948 . A report on the proceedings of a meeting of the West Bengal Congress Assembly Party held on 5 May 1948 . Statement dated 5 May 1948 by twenty-two members of the West Bengal Congress Assembly Party withdrawing their proposal dated 22 April 1948 for reconstitution of the West Bengal Ministry . Details of a fatal attack on Congressmen . Note dated 30 June 1948 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad on the Gandhi National Memorial Fund . A broadcast talk by Dr.,.Rajendra Prasad from the Delhi Station of All India Radio on 19 July 1948 at 9.40 p.m. . An editorial in the Indian Nation, dated 22 July 1948, entitled ‘Move for Bihar's Dismemberment’. . Press communique, dated 23 July 1948, issued by the Secretariat of the Constituent Assembly of India . A letter from Muzaffar Hasan to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, dated 23 July 1948 ). A letter from Abul Kalam Azad to Dr, Rajendra Prasad, dated 29 July 1948 A note dated 30 July 1948 from the Treasurer, Gandhi National Memorial Fund Minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Pacifist Meeting held on 11 October 1948 Minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Pacifist Meeting held on 22 October 1948 Letter to all invitees to the World Pacifist Meeting 1948 An article (in two parts) by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, published in the Harijan, dated 5 December and 12 December 1948 A clarification by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, published in the Harijan, dated 26 December 1948 A statement issued by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of the Gandhi National Memorial Fund, on 8 January 1949 . A statement by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, dated 17 January 1949, onthe first death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi Astatement by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, dated 2 February 1949, onthe Sevagram Pacifist Conference A statement by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, dated 13 February 1949, on qualifications of representatives to the State Assemblies and the House of the People - Copy of a letter from Bhimsen Sachar to Jiwan Lal - xvii 318 320 321 322 322 324 327 330 332 333 333 334 336 339 340 340 347 350 351 353 355 358 xviii Contents 32. Copy of a Jetter from Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy to Dr. Prafulla 359 Chandra Ghosh 33. Anote by A. Kaleswara Rao on Communist activitiesin Hyderabad 359 State , 34, A memorandum against the Congress Ministry in Madras 364 Index = 379 CORRESPONDENCE PART 1 1. From Abul Kalam Azad* 1 April 1948 My dear [Rajendra Babu,] Krishna Ballabh Sahay was here and gave me your letter. Ido not know what really the matter is. But Sardar Patel, [Maharaja of] Darbhanga and Sultan Ahmed—all three of them—had told me that a deputation had called on youand you had promised them that they would be given a chance to clarify their point of view as regards the Bihar Zamindari Bill. If it is really so, they should be givena chance. You are right in your view that it would be going against popular opinion to stall the Bill now. This should be passed in the Assembly. Krishna Ballabh Sahay was informed accordingly. But there is no harm if, at an opportune time, the deputation of the Bihar Zamindars is given a chance to finally express its views. Krishna Ballabh Sahay had agreed-that they may come on 5 April and be heard. But perhaps this date will not be suitable as you may not be able to find time at such short notice. But some date in the 2nd or 3rd week of April, as may suit you, can be fixed. Hope you are perfectly all right. Twice I tried to speak to you over the telephone but probably you were not at home. Abul Kalam Azad *Sce facsimile of the original letter in Urdu (facing page 4). 2. To Hiralal Bose Bajajwadi Wardha 2 April 1948 HIRALAL BOSE CALCUTTA. were nAM RECEIVED MAY INCLUDE MY NAME AS SIGNATORY INVITATION ETTER : - . RAJENDRA PRASAD 3. From Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy Calcutta 2nd April 1948 My dear Rajendra Babu, : ‘ L have received your letter today written from Wardha. lam going to Delhi tomorrow and lhope to meet you there. Iam sending youa copy ofa letter which Thave received from Assam which will speak for itself.* This language question will 4 Dr. Rajendra Prasad: be a difficulty but we must sit down and solve it. 1 propose to talk to Mr. Bardoloi when I see him on the 13th of April. Meanwhile, if you can give him your suggestions it would be very good. The Bengali-speaking areas should be allowed to have Bengali, being their mother tongue, as the language in the primary stages, If they insist upon two languages being taught in the early years of their life, it would be difficult for them to manage it. Yours sincerely, B.C. Roy Chief Minister, Bengal Dr. Rajendra Prasad. *Sec letter from T.N. Mallik to Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, dated 29th March 1948, in Correspondence—Part II, Volume 8. 4. From Kiran Sankar Roy Calcutta 2nd April 1948 Dear Rajendra Babu, I have seen the letter you have written to Dr. B.C. Roy. You are perhaps not aware that though my family belongs to East Bengal, we have been in Calcutta for two generations or more. | myself havé been born and educated here. As a matter of fact, though our connection with our own native village had been intimate, I have not seen any-other part of East Bengal till I joined the Congress in 1920. My field of activities also, though it comprised the whole of Bengal, has been Calcutta. [ was always elected from an Eastern Bengal constituency. So, when the partition took place, I decided that ] should remain in East Bengal for the purpose of carrying on constitutional opposition against the Muslim League Government. This decision of mine was arrived at against the wishes of my colleagues in the Bengal Legislative Assembly. However, my experience in East Bengal has brought me to this conclusion that there is very little room for constitutional opposition in East Bengal. The Governmtent there is either unwilling or unable to give any protection to the minorities. The minority there is living under three Governments—(1) Nazimuddin Government, (2) Muslim League organisation, (3) Muslim National Guards cum hooligans, the last being the most powerful. Among the Government officials the key positions are“held by Punjab Muslims who are communal and vindictive. Besides, there is an economic boycott which has practically destroyed the professional middie- class and also the businessmen. A large percentage of middle-class people and even the poorer classes who could afford to leave have either left or [are] leaving. The situation, asfar as I could judge, has deteriorated and will deteriorate in view - of the customs barriers, prospect of passport, and different currency. In view of all these, mere appeal to the Hindus of East Bengal not to leave their hearths and homes will be of ‘no avail. On the one side, the India Government cannot promise _ Facsimile of a letter dated { April 1948 (written in Urdu) from Abul Kalam Azad to Dr. Rajendra Prasad Siar - - _ bes Cid rs 2 ebr & at oe va Su fot S ine oer lp eS alee omtegs? wer cae, an? 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