Read about the life and career of Mohandas K. Gandhi.

Visit the site of the Gandhi Institute, founded by Mohandas Gandhi's grandson.

Visit our pages devoted to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, which make up what used to be British India.

Join a discussion about this story or section, or create one of your own.

Go to Flashback Section

Go to International Section

Editor's Note: Some of these links take you out of our site. To return click on your browser's Back button.

Gandhi Stops British Plan; Riots Kill 5

Interim Proposal Rejected by Indians; Violence In Madura Leaves 13 Injured

By The Associated Press
June 24, 1946

Violence Flares
New Delhi, June 23 -- Statements by President Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Mohandas K. Gandhi tonight pointed to Congress Party rejection of the British proposed interim government as five persons were killed and 13 injured in political rioting in Madura.

Azad, emerging from a three-hour meeting of the Congress working committee, said wearily:

"The thing is now over as far as the congress is concerned."

Gandhi, the party's spiritual leader, addressing an evening prayer meeting, commented:

"Let us not look to the British Cabinet Mission, but let us ourselves become a cabinet mission and develop that power and authority."

"The whole thing is finalized now," said Azad. "The resolution is being drafted and will be ready shortly." The committee itself adjourned with the announcement only that it would reassemble tomorrow.

The five deaths in the southern India city of Madura brought to seven the death toll from three days of demonstrating over the arrest of Jawaharlal Nehru, president-elect of the Congress Party, in Kashmir State.

Today's deaths and injuries occurred when police opened fire on armed crowds attacking pedestrians. Police bullets killed two persons and injured one while the rioters killed three and injured 12, dispatches from the city said.

A 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. curfew was clamped on the city, the second largest in Madras province.

Both Nehru and Azad joined in lengthy discussions today with the cabinet mission and the viceroy.

Nehru said he had no complaint against the Kashmir police and denied a report he had been injured in a clash with them. However, he criticized the Kashmir order banning him.

Sardar Baldez Singh, Punjab minister and the Sikh nominee in the interim cabinet, received a mandate last night from his community to refuse the post.