BOMBAY: “The Viceroy’s broadcast has struck a severe blow to the Muslim League and Muslim India, but I am sure that Musalmans of India will bear this up with fortitude and courage…” says Mr. Jinnah, commenting on the Viceroy’s broadcast on the formation of the Interim Government.

Mr. Jinnah adds: “The step the Viceroy has taken is most unwise and unstatesmanlike and is fraught with dangerous and serious consequences and he has only added insult to injury by nominating three Muslims who, he knows, do not command either respect or confidence of Muslim India and two more Muslim names still remain to be announced. ...”

[Meanwhile, as reported from Delhi,] “The Hindu elements whose actions plunged Calcutta into an orgy of violence and slaughter evidently did so for two reasons: first, they wanted to discredit the Muslim League Ministry by creating disorder…. Secondly, the official announcement of the decision to set up an Interim Government of Hindus at the Centre made them feel that Akhand Hindustan had been virtually established … and they could do to the Muslims whatever they liked….” Thus observed Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, General Secretary, All-India Muslim League, in a statement. ...

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2021