Chapter 317 India’s Rich People
Gandhi sat cross-legged on a straw mat, topless, with a wet towel on his head to cool down the heat. Flies were flying around him, and the pungent and unpleasant smell in the air was blown in by the sultry summer wind.
When he presented the plan he proposed to Mountbatten for everyone to discuss, the leaders of the Congress Party were all dumbfounded and even breathless. To them, this plan was not only bizarre, but sheer nonsense.
They simply couldn't believe how the Mahatma they supported and admired could do this. The British have agreed to leave. How can the fruits of victory be handed over to their opponents so easily? Almost no one expressed understanding of the aging Mahatma's plans.
Gandhi repeatedly persuaded these leaders who came here in luxury cars. Tell them that if they don't, Mountbatten will agree to partition. Once partition occurs, a larger-scale bloodshed will erupt, leaving India once again facing catastrophe. He hoped that everyone would think calmly, really consider the interests of the people of the country seriously, and not give up the glimmer of hope for India's integrity.
Patel's fierce opposition was actually expected by Gandhi, but Nehru also did not provide support, even though Gandhi had been cultivating Nehru to be the leader of the Congress Party.
It is unjustifiable to hand over the future of India to Jinnah, whether it is due to the feelings of Hindus or the pursuit of the Congress Party. This is not a problem that Gandhi's prestige can solve.
For the first time in his life, Gandhi faced so much opposition from people who had respected him so much just a day earlier.
The leaders of the Congress Party do not necessarily fail to see the factors behind Gandhi's idea. The British should be driven away first. After the British leave, the remaining problems will be the Congress Party and the Muslim League. Without the British factor, things will be fine. Solved a lot.
In fact, Gandhi did say this at a Congress Party meeting, "Even if partition is necessary, it is a matter between us and the Muslim League. It can still be partitioned after the British leave."
This is the truth, but before the dawn of victory appears, everyone hopes for stability. Gandhi believed that if the British left, they might be able to force the Muslim League to submit. This idea was a good one.
But it does not mean that there is no problem. It is only thirty years since the Congress Party emerged from the many parties in British India. Now among Hindus, the Congress Party has an overwhelming advantage.
But once Gandhi, the symbol of the Congress Party, bows to Jinnah of the Muslim League, will Hindus still support the Congress Party?
The top leaders of the Congress Party can understand Gandhi, but the countless Hindus who are united by religious beliefs may not necessarily understand the Congress Party. If they support Gandhi's ideas, even the Congress may be abandoned in the eyes of Hindus.
In this darkness before dawn, seeing decades of struggle coming to fruition, who dares to make a rational choice?
It is true that the Muslim League is a difficult opponent, but the Muslim League will not divide the supporters of the Congress Party, and the same cannot be said for other Hindu parties. These forces currently surrounding the Congress Party are the real enemies. , they can destroy the foundation of the Congress Party.
Both the liberals represented by Nehru and the conservatives represented by Patel had the same views. There are no liberals on this issue, and the Congress Party will be gone as soon as they become enlightened.
Such uniformity and opposition from different angles finally frustrated Gandhi. It turned out that he really could not solve this problem and make British India complete.
The integrity of British India rested only with Jinnah and never with anyone in the Congress party. It is a pity that Ali Jinnah, an important leader of the Congress Party at that time and who maintained the unity of India, has been dead for 20 years. The current Ali Jinnah will never relent on this issue.
Jinnah was also an outstanding lawyer, two meters tall and elegant. He once said that nonviolent resistance was only a movement for those who were ignorant and illiterate. Jinnah was different from Gandhi. When he went on tour, he liked to organize grand ceremonial guards.
Led by an elephant covered in gold and silver, the military band played the movement "Bless Our Emperor".
In the eyes of Ali Jinnah, Nehru was just a bombastic professor, while Gandhi's evaluation was higher, like a cunning fox.
Nehru, who had received the key to the problem from Gandhi, originally wanted to talk to Jinnah, but Ali Jinnah, who had already received the news from Alan Wilson, said that talking was possible on the grounds of illness, but he had to wait. a period of time.
"We invited Nehru to work with the Governor to try to solve the Rohingya problem." Alan Wilson came to Governor Mountbatten with the Secretary-General of Lord Barron Ismay and an itinerary approved by Senator Churchill. Passed on, "The Rohingya issue is essentially a conflict between Myanmar and India. In a sense, it is similar to the Indian issue of whether to agree to partition or rule, but it is smaller. If this thing succeeds, it may have a negative impact on the British Solving problems belonging to India will be inspiring.”
"Member Churchill thinks so too?" Mountbatten, who wanted to refuse and was waiting for Ali Jinnah's reply, heard that Churchill also meant the same thing, so he did not say the refusal.
Mountbatten was only forty-seven years old. To him, Churchill was actually a politician of the previous era and a contemporary of his father.
The relationship between the two was very good. When Mountbatten was in college, Churchill, who was already the Secretary of Defense, helped him conduct debates. It was almost a close friendship. Naturally, if Churchill thought so, Mountbatten would have to disagree, and he could not break the old man's heart.
What's more, during the war, as Prime Minister, Churchill took more care of Mountbatten. Just because Churchill is no longer Prime Minister, he cannot disrespect the other party.
"The local leader in Myanmar is Aung San, right?" At the critical moment, his experience as the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces in Southeast Asia reminded Mountbatten of what happened in Myanmar. "Can he also be the leader of the Burmese people?"
"It was the Burmese's choice." Alan Wilson shrugged. Aung San himself had experience of cooperation with the Japanese during the war, which is a well-known fact.
However, most countries in Southeast Asia actually have no ill feelings towards Japan. They are colonies of European countries and do not even have their own country. Naturally, it is not an anti-aggression war, which is different from the situation in China.
Even because China is an ally of the Allied Powers, the local Chinese in Southeast Asia exist as an ethnic group introduced to check and balance the local indigenous people. Many Southeast Asian countries hate the Chinese. This is a fact and there is nothing to avoid.
"Okay, then I will see if we can resolve this matter with Nehru and let Yangon ask if Aung San can come over." Mountbatten finally agreed, but he took the initiative to go to Myanmar. Impossible. He is the Governor-General of India. It is already a great grace to be able to mediate. Why would he take the initiative to go to Yangon?
"I'll send a telegram to Burgess immediately." Alan Wilson nodded and agreed. As long as the Governor agrees, it doesn't matter whether the Rohingya problem can be solved or not. Whoever wants to solve the problem is just trying to find something for the Governor to do.
Alan Wilson also has his own affairs, which are also related to the future of British India and are also very important.
It involves the future economic map of India. It is very simple. After India becomes independent, everything in the British Empire will now be owned by Indians. Of course, the Indian government may not confiscate private property, but what about important industries?
Who can guarantee that Nehru would not try every possible means to conspire and use tricks to obtain the precious wealth of the British?
Therefore, this matter should be avoided and left in the hands of trustworthy people. On the one hand, it is to cash out, and on the other hand, it is to form an interest relationship with India's current wealthy class and add a layer of protection.
If Nehru finally takes action, the first to be harmed will be these rich locals in India, and then Britain. It would be better if you don't take action. In short, it's not a big loss no matter how you calculate it.
The Birla family was one of the targets chosen by Alan Wilson. During the First World War, the Birla family relied on the export of jute, cotton and other commodities and the opium trade, and their property increased from 2 million rupees to 10 million rupees. After the war, it invested in the jute and cotton spinning industry. In the 1930s, it invested in sugar, paper and other industries to form a consortium. During World War II, the Birla family invested in machinery, coal mining and other sectors. Now the assets have reached 200 million rupees.
Calculated according to the exchange rate, the Birla family is actually richer than the Governor, not to mention the Tata family.
The Tata Family During World War I, Tata made huge profits and after the war established a number of companies in industries such as power generation, chemicals, machinery, grease, cement, and finance. By the time World War II broke out, Tata Sons had controlled 22 companies through its managers, and a monopoly consortium had been formed.
The Birla family and the Tata family, as well as Indian wealthy people from all walks of life across the subcontinent, have received Sir Barron's invitation and are preparing to come to New Delhi to see what the British are going to do.
The short winter in India passed again. It was so short that Alan Wilson almost didn't think he had come. An electric fan on the ceiling of the apartment was spinning, but it was as slow as in a dream.
There are metal-framed screens on the windows, and outside the screens there is a tropical garden with several paths crisscrossing it. It is full of European pods and palm trees. The silence was unusual. There was no breeze in the garden, and the house was very dark.
It's spacious, spacious, and imitation gold. A piano. The chandelier is off. There are various flowers and plants on display. Except for the dreamy symbolic rotation of the fan, everything was deathly silent.
The Rohingya issue is Tu Yile's request for the Governor to meet Nehru and Aung San just to cover up his talks with the compradors. For this reason, he must make sufficient preparations to let these grown-up people Rich Indians hand over their money.