BOMBAY: The Jinnah-Gandhi meeting lasted over 100 minutes today [Sept 21]. Mr. Gandhi arrived at Mr. Jinnah’s residence 5 minutes before the scheduled time for the interview. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Jinnah announced that they would again meet at 5-30 p.m. tomorrow.

An earlier message said that contrary to all expectations the time table of the Gandhi-Jinnah talks appears to be lengthening out. Last week it was expected that the talks would conclude by the middle of this week, but now there are indications that they may continue not only till the end of September, but even beyond and that Mr. Gandhi may ask for a short adjournment at the end of September to enable him to go to Wardha to attend a meeting of the Kasturba Memorial Committee scheduled to be held at Sevagram on October 2.

The main point at issue appears to be the question of plebiscite. While the C.R. Formula swears by a plebiscite before Pakistan is brought into being Mr. Jinnah is understood to be insisting upon the Muslims having the right to Pakistan without a plebiscite. The talks are most cordial and the two leaders are not without hope of a settlement. (Dawn, Delhi)

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2014