Indian Swaraj

Swaraj (or Self-Government) is a movement led by C. R. Das, chief lieutenant of the incarcerated Mahatma Ghandi.

In the elections of the Provincial Legislative Councils and the Indian or Central Legislative Assembly, which have been sweeping the whole Indian peninsula for the past month, the Swaraj won a notable victory in the Province of Bengal. In other parts of the country "the efforts of the extremists have not been very successful."

The success of the Swaraj in Bengal caused the resignation of the Legislative Council of the Bengal Government. Lord Lytton, Governor of Bengal, invited C. R. Das to form a ministry.

The significance of such a step is not apparent. Swaraj is a political movement which aims at achieving Indian independence by means of a policy of noncooeperation as opposed to violence. Taraknath Das,* in his book India in World Politics,/- apart from comment on the British Raj which is neither equitable, honest nor impartial, sums up compendiously the aspiration of the Swaraj. It is not to be wondered at that the London Daily Telegraph, alluding to the action of Lord Lytton, said that "the event will doubtless be noted by the future historian as a landmark in the annals of the Indian peoples."

On the other side of the picture is the fact that the British Government in London, bad as its past treatment of India has been, has announced that its policy is to provide for "the increasing association of Indians in every branch of the administration and the gradual development of self-governing institutions with a view to the progressive realization of responsible government in India as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations." There is evidence that a majority of the peoples of India would prefer to remain within the Commonwealth; but this is a question which will have to be settled later.

In the elections for the Central Legislative Assembly the Swaraj captured a few more seats, a fact which will certainly increase the difficulties of the

Central Government; although, through the appointment of 41 official members, a Government majority is assured.

*Taraknath Das and C. R. Das are not related.

/-INDIA IN WORLD POLITICS--Taraknath Das--Huebsch ($1.25).