CALCUTTA: “We are convinced after a study of the situation, that it is not provincial autonomy which is responsible for this catastrophe but the Government of India and the British Government are by their failure to take timely and suitable action guilty of culpable negligence,” observed Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, Honorary Secretary, All-India Muslim League, and Nawab Ismail Khan, Chairman, All-India Muslim League Defence Committee, in a joint statement on the Bengal food situation today [Oct 30], after a tour of various parts of the province.

“Mr. Amery and other British statesmen”, they say, “have been trying to make provincial autonomy responsible to a large degree for Bengal’s present trouble, and some of the diehards are making the misery of the people of the province the chief plank in their propaganda against the capacity of Indians to rule themselves. We entirely differ from Mr. Amery and others … we greatly deplore this anti-Indian propaganda of the diehards. It is certainly not in keeping with the British tradition of sportsmanship and fair play to make a scapegoat of others for their own failings and shortcomings.

“The gruesome picture of misery that stalks the land has left an undelible mark on our memory,” says the statement.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018