The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 149
133 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN Viceroy's Cabinet thereupon resigned. These were Mr. Sarkar from Bengal; Mr. M. S. Aney from the Central Provinces; and Sir Homi Mody from Bombay. The Viceroy held that this demonstrated the impossibility of transferring any substantial power to Indians during the war. He did not criticize Gandhi for going on the fast, only the Ministers for resigning on what was not an issue that directly concerned their offices. )] Question : Would you say something now, Sir, about events in India itself, especially the attitudes towards the war by both political parties ? Khan : During the first part of the war, that is to say from September, 1939 until Hitler began to move in force through Holland, Belgium and France, there was not much political activity. India, as I have already indicated, had organized a very big effort in the shape of the War Supply Organization, in which all the British countries to the east and south of Suez were represented, and that was going forward very vigorously. The political parties did not give much trouble. On the collapse of France in June, 1940, everybody became very anxious, including the political leadership in India. It was apprehended that Germany might win the war and that would be a major disaster. All political controversies were laid aside, so much so that the Congress leadership, including Mr. Gandhi, not only expressed genuine sympathy with Britain which was now carrying on heroically in a very desperate position, but also did whatever they could through expression of their sympathy and support to create a spirit in India that we should do all we could to help in the situation. I recall Mr. Gandhi saying that Hitler was entirely responsible for the war and that Mr. Gandhi not only wished for but prayed for the victory of Britain. That was a clear indication that they were very much afraid that if Britain collapsed all hope of independence, liberty and freedom of the triumph of humanitarian values would disappear. Everybody knew what Hitler was and what his attitude toward dependent peoples was. He had put it forth very clearly in Mein Kampf. But, when through the summer it began to appear that Britain would not only stand fast but that with the help that was coming from all directions, and especially from America, it might be able to prolong the struggle long enough, to emerge victorious at the end, the Congress began to develop more and more opposition, not to the war itself, but to the then constituted authority in