SIR Stafford Cripps called on Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah’s residence late on Wednesday night [April 17], and had a talk with the League leader. …Sir Stafford is meeting Mr. Gandhi on Thursday morning…. The Mission has now met both the League and Congress Presidents and is reported to have suggested to them alternative schemes for consideration. The negotiations will enter the most crucial phase after the Mission returns from Kashmir on April 24.

…Earlier, Mr. P.C. Joshi the Secretary of the Communist Party of India had a 35-minute interview with the Cabinet Mission. He submitted a memorandum to the Mission outlining the Communist Party’s proposals to solve the Indian political stalemate. “The memorandum demands an unequivocal and unambiguous declaration recognising Indian independence and Indian sovereignty. In further proof of its sincerity, the British Government should declare its determination to effect within six months the total withdrawal of British troops from all Indian territory, including the States. Any attempt to exploit the differences among the Indian people to impose an arbitrary partition and to retain the Princes in order to perpetuate British domination will be resisted by the Indian people….”

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2021