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9/20/1947 - With PT to Delhi, Trivandrum, Bangalore, Madras by A. Doak Barnett

I OT FOR PU 3LICATION Hotel Imperial New Delhi India September Mr Walter S 8ogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue Ne York N Y Dear Ur hogers Drlng weeks I accompanied Phil Talbot whirlwind India which touched several different regions extended Cape Comorin South Delhi ortho We traelled exclusively Whou airplane covering erriory short period would possible Fortunately however commercial airlines provide excellent ervlce connecting major cities India On September angalore Trivandrum capital Travancore State Our which lased un1il included quick motor Cape emorln From Trivandrum adras where remained until After overnight Bangaore I Delhi while Phll Bombay where picked Dick Robinson several In respects moves rapid impossible understanding insight current developments problems various regions India which visited I received definite impressions places people significant issues which foremost minds limited select group people Conversationsdin local press various places visited Ihhelen invaluable accompany experienced compe observer compare balance cases correct judgements basis Phil interpretations events conditions Of course eople I personally iterate nglish speaking therefore represent small percentage population whatever impressions I received attitudes thinking India masses necessarily derived second sources Nonethe I shall repor impressions worth I greatly interested apparent differences amosphere problems currently facing places which visited The contrast between Delhi where violent communalism dominates Trlvandrum Bangalore adras where political issues relatively important striking It impossible generalize about latter three places however because there imortant differences situations problems confronting peopAe place Phil I almost entire period Bangalore investigating rying evaluate motives issues involved State Congress campaign violent resisence established government Stae As I mentioned letter Prime inister constitutional issue respo nsible govern nothing ouflage communal struggle between Brahmans Brahmans We tried gaher further evidence either suppor contradict assertion We alked people various sorts including social workers close contacts people police officers involved carrying repressive measures government officials knowledge State government employees minor posiion local newspapermen members economic inellecal upper strata community others Wih exception prominen American usinessman asserted wi1omt qualification troubles ysore India Communist inspired people discussed question almost without variation asserted sincere popular moemem responsible government suppgrted population The general feeling these people governmen faith tried forestall democratic developments In evitabl already taken place former British India certain Saes Even police officers Speak citizen raher police officer I almos everyone sympathy heCongress Pary An Prime iniser ysore governmen issued somewhat vague saement inenions Ten years I would fought movement determination establishment responsiblegovernment Staes inevitable accept The government equivocating The satement morning evades major issues satisfy Two other Prime inisters ysore presen Same expressed similar pinions Although situation Bangalore times although under curfew several slashes between police demonstraters resulting deaths taken place struggle there primarily political without hysteria hatred which evident Delhi which according reports worse Punjab Evidences communal feeling directed against Muslim minority present Bangalore there evidences communalism fatricidal letting there The atmosphere Trivandrum quite differen Bang alore The political scene A short while before reached there Mahaja agreed establishmen complete responsible government maligned Prime Minister Sir C P RamaSwami Aiyer State Everyone talked expressed satis faction struggle democratic government completely victorious Thanu Pillai President Sae Con gress leader organization since inception We completely satisfied government promises concessions We achieved everything fought He others sorbed forthcoming constitution making admitted party future progr formulated There dences however State almost suspended animation politics merely interim period political groupings rivalries appear government established sarts functioning One interesZing aspects Travancore Phil myseif complex social organization based communal division along religious lines The State differs India large Christian community which comprises roughly third Zhe population The Muslims small minority there little communal feeling Hindu uslim patternf0und other parts India Instead there highly complex System social rather religious groups including Hindu castes ChrisZi sects uslims relatively minor communal rivalries I personally other place world where Christianity divided plethora The major Christian communities Syrian Christians unbroken continuity since arrival Saint Thomas inTravancore traditionally dated A D Catholics later period active Roman Catholic proselytising Two schisms Syrian church produced Thoma Catholicus East seCtS atholic church divided groups Zhe Syro R0man Catholics composed converts Syrian church Lain Roman Catholics composed converts Hinduism In addition there numerous Protestant sects branch Chaldean church The Hindus likewise split large number castes lised census publications major Nairs Ezhavas uniquely characteristic India One interesting aspecZs intricate social system which uhristian sects apparently taken characteristics castes We which these groups functioned polit economic units persons future politics State would srongly influenced communal valries between these groups Congress Party hitherto fairly close would probably undergo division along communal lines One Indian journalist Trivandrum I communalism other India Whether exaggeration I communalism undoubtedly reors Travancore But important communalism Travancore chronic inter group violence talked expressed would The situation adras seemed different aspect either Bangalore Trivandrum In Madras Congress inated vincial administration already assumed responsibilities government grapling With innumerable problems administration Phil I talked people there including proninent Minister administration CummunisParty alloCal SerVaoS sociaA worker member naona egslature India editor outstanding daily newspaper ladras memers Of American community others The general impression received administration todate particularly successful formulating carrying sound policies The remarks paper editor illustrate criticism heard The ministration range program Without administrative experience getting through There intelligent people could great eonsul Prime inister ignora He knowledge government The Congress already divided groups bound break apart because represents highest lowest classes community People chosen govern posts because their oyalty party admin rative skill people criticised administration carry Ing ostly unrealistic reforms The inister griculure dishimself admitted government prohibition schemes would reduce government income roughly clear reduction revenues would compensated effect reduction would other government social services _lthough extremely friendly likeable person impress being informed concerning policies which department responsible As example I stumbled corrected himsel severa times describing details their program agricultural tenure reform By contrast young Communist leader impressed being extremely alert informed energetic We encountered differences opinion concerning strength Communiss adras One person claimed powerful enough threaten taking government Very people rated their strength highly however Communist leader himself claim strength There apprehension however their strength considerably because swollen population poorly housed workerso people expressed though uslims small percentage their population Hindu uslim communal break refugees unjab arrived sories rumors I atmosphere appre hensio expectancy I Delhi reception Delhi provided unsmiling group liers frisked inspected luggage hidden before allowing enter The confusion tension gripping ieditely obvious first Few walked streets dayime At night curfew almost everyone indoors Telephone counications never tually impossible although I Transportation extremely difficult obtain because drivers herse engas uslims havether killed frightened If could locate would certain places prices ADB ridiculously Very uslims remained New Delhi where I obtained Conversations which I heard concerned themselves almost exclusively atrocity stories people I during first claimed witnesses brutal massacres involving bodily mutilation cases This atmosphere I arrived after worst trouble already Since tension visibly eased shops reopened Muslims areas I started recommence normal activity When I arrived local press reported instancesef iliing violence alhegh I pSrsonally evidences exceptfor damaged fronts mutilated during there cases reported It considered Muslim travel hromgh Mmslim areas however Three I visited Mslim refugee camps New Delhi It packed With estimated fifty sixty thousand refue living under crowded dirty comdion improvised shelter almos latrine facilities It almost narrow cameo Yesterday I toured section Old Delhi The Muslims crowded surrounding largest mosque separating surrounding nonMmslim areas being patrolled column tanks mounted Gurkhas rifles ready action A column refugees taking belomgings could carry wound Old Delhi towards outlying refugee camps There reason repeat erable atrocity stories which I heard Suffice evidently massacres incredible though rumor undoubtedly mixed truth reports Brutality which taken place difficult explain explanations included phrase emporary insanity describing rioters The concensus opinion among I talked Delhi riots largel result reports hysteria imported luslim refugees Punjab thatthe violence nature violent retaliation which Sikhs played conspic leaders usllm mlnoriy group primarily victimized I unusual opportunity India spoliical leaders during Before Phil arrived I established father happened Delhi companied interesting interview Gandhi Prime Minister Nehru S Ambassador Grady others meals Government House Viscount Lady Mountbaten Since I number other people Phil attended Gandhi prayer meetings night unusual record press conference which Liaquat All Khan Prime Minister Pakistan waspresent along Nehru Mountbatten impressed calibre rnment leaders I India Pkistan staggered comnunal violence which overwhelmed almost since first their independence Nonetheless clain military point least situation rapidly being brougn under control Hindu ivuslim bitterness which greatly magnified intensified during weeks years complicate relations between India akistano Both Nehru Liaquat All Khan disclaim desire exchange minorities spontseous migration minorities forced assist process Some people I talked believe exchanges permanent basis inevitable there oters there least chance passions subside making possible mixed Hindm Sikh iuslim munities peace again seems little doubt however which ommunal feeling raised leave lasting bitterness seribus consequences India akistan I could wrile great about I heard weeks I before patience terest exhausted The complexities problems confronting states continent overwhelming Nonetheless rapid I introduced places people roblems issues about which I barest under standing previously Yourcable arrived I delighted willing accompany Phil Indonesia We encountering serious transportation difficulties moment Sincerely yours Dak Barnett