NEW DELHI: Addressing the Associated Chambers of Commerce, Lord Wavell prescribed a faith-cure rather than a major surgical operation (meaning the Pakistan demand) or Quit India mixture for the political ills of India. This faith-cure, His Excellency explained, is to believe in the good intentions of the British for the welfare of the Indian people.

Referring to the demand for a National Government, His Excellency said that “we had such a Government in India, a preponderantly Indian Government which is doing an essential job of work in India extremely well”.

Alluding to the political deadlock, the Viceroy added that on the failure of the Cripps Mission, His Majesty’s Government said they could do no more and that India herself must make a constructive suggestion. No such suggestion has yet emerged; and the recent discussion between Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Jinnah shows how intractable the communal problem still is…

[Meanwhile, as reported from New Delhi,] According to information received her this morning [Dec 14] in the Central Office of the All-India Muslim League, Dewan Basit Chowdhry, the Muslim League candidate in the by-election, has been declared elected in the Central Legislative Assembly from the Assam Muslim Constituency.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2019