845.00/1–647: Telegram
The Vice Consul at Karachi (Sparks) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
3. Jinnah stated during interview tonight League in complete agreement Acheson statement December 3rd and three points presented him taken from penultimate paragraph Delhi telegram.1 After review Congress-League relations June 62 to present said “if Congress made genuine effort accommodate itself His Majesty’s Government’s and [Page 138] Muslim League’s interpretation Cabinet plan, League would enter Constituent Assembly at once but resolution passed today3 can not be defined as such effort” (reference Delhi telegram January 4 re political situation). Called resolution “same Congress tactics; propaganda to fool world into believing Congress had accepted Cabinet December 6 statement and that only League was at fault for not entering Assembly when resolution is statement of contradictions that in fact says nothing”.
Jinnah refused commit League’s next action said “must consider in light new developments which are in fact not new”. He welcomed expression Department’s viewpoint with which he was “in complete agreement” said “tell your government we work toward same ends but for God’s sake not to be chloroformed by meaningless Congress gestures made for purely propaganda effect. Congress had only to say we accept nothing more; that would have shown true faithful intent and League would have responded in same coin”. Stressed confidential nature his statements.
My belief is Jinnah feels next move up to League even though under its interpretation Congress resolution is meaningless.
Sent Department No. 3; repeated Delhi No. 1.
- Telegram 4, supra. ↩
- June 6, 1946, when the Council of the All-India Muslim League passed a resolution accepting the Cabinet Mission’s plan, subject to certain reservations.↩
- For text of resolution, presented by Nehru at the All-India Congress Committee meeting January 5 and passed by a majority of 91 to 55 on January 6 after two days of debate, see Menon, The Transfer of Power in India, pp. 332–333.↩