India has had too many dates with destiny to be excited over a fresh one. She was duly prepared, through reliable press forecasts, for the actual announcement of the British government’s latest plan. Neither the prospect of British withdrawal earlier than June 1948 nor the contents of the Mountbatten Plan have therefore any novelty. If anything, patriotic Indians have every reason to feel ashamed of the circumstances leading to the intervention of the British in the matter of even ascertaining the wishes of certain areas in regard to the authority framing their future constitution, namely whether it should be the existing Constituent Assembly or a separate one of their own. Since, however, the actual transfer of power from British to Indian hands can take place only after the choice is made, and since the Congress is reconciled to the painful eventuality, if only to restore peace in the country, little would be gained by ruminating over might-have-beens. No doubt, Congress must be unhappy indeed at the virtual dismemberment of the country visualised by the procedure laid down in the State Paper. But the Congress has not by its acceptance surrendered to Pakistan; it has only attempted a compromise, at the same time, taking care to minimise the evil and even ensure its elimination...

To Mr Jinnah, however, it must be a bitter pill indeed. He has been virtually compelled to accept the same arrangement which he rejected in 1944 as “moth-eaten” ... In any case, Mr Jinnah must be congratulated on having seen enough cause to order the withdrawal of a most ugly demonstration in the N-W Frontier Province and preservation of peace generally in the country...

... contd.