CALCUTTA: Mr. J. C. Setalvad, President of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in a statement says that the Viceroy’s insistence in his address at the annual meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce on the working of any Government within the four corners of one Government of India Act would be deplored by everyone in the country. “It seems,” he says, “that India has no other alternative but to allow its destiny to be governed by the march of time in years to come, as no government, however diehard, would be able to check its progress towards the realisation of its cherished dream.”

“The present Government,” he asserted, “not only does not satisfy the elementary criterion of a national government but His Excellency’s Government has deliberately denied the people their right to elect their legislature. The continued administration of the Provinces under Section 93 of the Act and the autocratic rule by the Governors seem to be the visible symbols. Continued incarceration of the national leaders behind bars, and the continuous exploitation of all the resources of India in the name of the conduct of the war had serious repercussions even in His Excellency’s own country of Empire builders.” (Dawn, Delhi)

Published in Dawn December 18th , 2014