THE Central Assembly censured the Government on Friday [Feb 23] by 74 votes to 40 for “the grave situation that had arisen as a result of the mishandling of the R.I.N. [Royal Indian Navy] situation in Bombay”. … Prior to the discussion on Mr. Asaf Ali’s adjournment motion, Mr. Mason, the War Secretary announced the policy of the Government about the so-called “mutiny” of the RIN ratings [sailors] and told the House that the situation in Bombay and Karachi had returned to normal.

...Moving his adjournment motion, Mr. Asaf Ali said: “During the war, the ratings had been hearing about freedom and national self-respect and their conduct in the way has been praised by Mr. Attlee. But they found Commanding Officer King calling them names which I am ashamed to repeat (hear, hear).” Mr. Abdur Rahman Siddiqui (Muslim League) said that the basis of the trouble was racial discrimination. The authorities had not realised the spirit of the age. Immediately after the war, officers of the services went back into the spirit of the pre-war days when it was considered a legitimate privilege to treat the Indian section of the forces unkindly and disrespectfully.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2021