The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 148
132 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN I had been sent for, under directions from the Secretary of State through the Viceroy, to take part in consultations as to what could be done to stimulate India's war effort. I believe I have mentioned that I had, even when I was on the court, after I left the Cabinet, and also from Chungking, been sending notes and memoranda to the Viceroy urging greater association of Indians as partners in the government. Before I left the Viceroy's Cabinet myself, in September, 1941, the Viceroy had, mainly under my advice, carried out a large measure of Indianization of his Cabinet. Now, in early 1943, we discussed in London what further steps could be taken in that direction. My discussions were carried on mainly between Sir James Grigg, who had been Finance Member of the Viceroy's Cabinet and had, therefore, been my colleague in the Cabinet and was in 1943 Secretary of State for War; Sir Findlater Stewart, who had been for several years Head of the India Office and was then on special duty in connection with the war organization and worked in Norfolk House in St. James's Square where all the war planning was done; and Sir John Anderson, later Lord Waverly, who had been Governor of Bengal and was then a member of the Cabinet and was held in very high esteem, and whose views on questions which related to India carried great weight. We worked on a scheme, a sort of ad-hoc arrangement, under which, without any change in the constitution, the Viceroy would set up a wholly Indian Cabinet and let them work, in effect, as a responsible Cabinet, advising them and guiding them, but by common consent not overruling them, so that they could take full responsibility for their decisions and for the conduct of Government. During our discussions, Sir Findlater kept Mr. Amery informed of their trend. Sir James Grigg, who years before had worked as Mr. Churchill's Secretary when the latter had been Chancellor of the Exchequer, and who enjoyed his confidence, undertook to reassure Mr. Churchill on the feasibility of the proposal [(Because of technical difficulties, the following is a summary of Sir Zafrulla's statements in this portion of the interview: Finally it was agreed that portfolios in this proposed Cabinet be offered to Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar (who would, without assuming the title, act as Prime Minister), Sir V. T. Krishnamachari (who would be Finance Minister, and Sir Aziz-ul-Haq (then High Commissioner in London, who would be Commerce Minister). But just at this juncture, Mr. Gandhi decided to go on a fast. Three of the then ministers in the