Jaswant Singh's Book Review Page 297

Book Reference: Page 297 -298

Author’s Views: Narrating Rajaji’s views on Congress’ opposition to support war efforts, the Muslim League’s demand for a separate government, Rajaji’s recommendations to the AICC meeting on 29 April 1942, his subsequent resignation from the Working Committee on the rejection of his proposals, the author concludes that Congress could not assert itself as a spokesman for all. The author states to the effect that the claims that Congress was the only organization that held together the vast spread of India, was disproved.

Comments: The conclusion drawn by the author as above, based on the events leading to resignation of Rajaji, is pathetic to say the least. That the Congress never stifled the voices of dissent is well documented through out its history. The congress politicians those days were of impeccable character. Whenever they felt their views were strong but unacceptable, they resigned without bitterness. From the Congress Party any number of new organizations sprung up owing to differences at various points in time during the Freedom Struggle: Swaraj Party, Forward Block etc. Even Motilal Nehru and later Subash Chandra Bose, why even Gandhi had resigned from the party / party posts( at one time Presidents of the party). They did so, not by coercion but by conviction; and unlike later day politicians they did not bad mouth either the organization  or its incumbents after they left the party. Similarly the Party also did not bad mouth those who left owing to differences in opinion, perceptions and policies. So the resignation of Rajaji owing to differences in the policy of co-operating in the war efforts, can in no way make one conclude that Congress could not assert its position. That it took in its stride such resignations of even their stalwarts and heavy weights only proves that Congress as an organization at that time was too encompassing the nation so as not to be rattled by such dissents.

Compare the way as to how Sikandar Hayat and Saadullah of Assam were forced to resign (Page 298 –299) and the way Fazl-ul Haq reacted to the threat of Jinnah. The author’s silence for not arriving at a similar conclusion about the Muslim League based on the above episodes is jarringly loud.