M.R.Jayakar's Warning against the policy of appeasement,9 Aug, 1944I do notof your present attempt to settle with Mr. Jinnah. I'm not making any comments about Rajaji's formula favoured by you, for I feel certain that very little of that formula will survive your ensuing talks with Mr. Jinnah...., He has already said publicly that he is not satisfied with your offer. He will demand many more things, of which I mention a few below;
1. He will not have any plebiscite at all. He may compromise, if you confine the plebiscite within the Muslims. Alittle distinction in this connection may be noted. The plebiscite in Cripp's offer was to be taken only in the event of the constitution ( to be framed by the constituent assembly) not turning out favourably to Muslim wishes.In Rajaji's formula, the plebiscite is not dependent on any constitution proving favourable or unfavourable to theMuslims . It is not conditional as in Cripp's proposal.
2. He will not accept any arrangement of the boundaries for the purpose of the plebiscite. He will insist upon the present boundaries being kept intact. Any restriction of the present provincial boundaries, even for the purpose of a plebiscite, will eventually lead to a reduction of the area of Pakistan. The plebiscite you offer, being confined to predominantly Muhammadan arewas, will not satisfy him, unless you confine it to Muslims. In Cripp's offer the plebiscite was provincial, with a fair chance of a majoritybeing against severance. Aplebiscite confined to Muslim areas can have only one result .
3. He will insist on 50/50 seats, both at the centre and the Provinces, in some of which Muslims are only 5% to 6% at present. He will insist on his quota of 50 (I will call it so for the moment) will have to bear the claims of other interests like Scheduled Classes, Christians, and other minorities and possibly of special interests also like lebour , commerce etc.
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6. Mr. Jinnah will further demand , in the guise of economic selfsufficiency, some ports in the area of Pakistan.....
7. He will further claim, when he has digested what he has bitten off and has realised that Pakistan cannot be self supporting , that subventiond like those at present enjoyed by Sind (one crore) and the NWFA (one crore) should be continued by Hindustan out of its superior resources....
There are some other points he will demand in course of time.....
Kindly forgive me for my frank comments.
M.K.Gandhi and M.A.Jinnah in 1944
