VIEWS OF BOMBAY BUSINESSMAN ON DETERIORATION IN INDIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R007100290001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 3, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 2, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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II , ..T1 'REPORT r~0 25X1A
Approved For 1~aA g1$:C'1=P82-0040b
CONFIDENTIAL
:
2 APR
~ ~
DATE
"LACE
ACQUIRED
in India
25X1A
NO, OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
INFO. ~.~ 25X1 X REPORT NO.
CONFI JF TJ1 L
CLASSIFICATION C:(}I'~+'II TIiLL/Ct)I?'t'RO - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SRB A
STAW7- TNAVY~ ARC9Y~. N
lfd iI I /ISTRIBUTION
1
docurient is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENTIAL in accordance with the
letter of 16 October 1- 3 from the
Director of Central Intel'"gence to the
., ~,d ch vist of the united Uiates.
:L. The proposal of the Congress Working Committee to call an All-Parties
Conference "to discuss ways and means of consolidating national unity"*
cannot yield any positive results. The Congress Party is itself
demoralized and disintegrated. Congress Conu.iittees all over India have
no contact with the masses, and Congress leaders are now proposing to
fix a minimum of Rs 1/ a.s membership fee "to prevent the rabble from
joining the Congress."
No cormraon grounds can be found among the other parties and groups, such
as the Socialist Party, the Hindu N,aha.sabha, the R.S.S., chambers of
cornrierce, Indian Christians.,, t glo-Indians and I~aoslems, who might be
asked to participate in such a conference. The Congress leadership is
even afraid to face municipal elections, and may again postpone the
general elections - an action which t+ie Socialists, Hindu xahasabha and,
the R, S. 3. would probably protest.
Communist Influence on Nehru
The, Communist Party has suddenly become friendly to Prime Minister
Nehru. The United Kingdom and France are using Nehru to give expres-
sion to their own anti-war. feeling, and up to a point Nehru can improve
peace prospects by taking a neutral attitude. However, in doing so,
he nay comr_i~~_t himself too far on the Chinese Communist side. The
'Chinese know Nehru's fears and are trying to play on his nerves.
K. N. Panikkar, to further his own interests, has gained an undue
influence over Nehru by means of flattery, and cannot be depended on
to base his reports to Nehru on truth,*
rood Crisis
Mathur (fnu), Secretary in the Agriculture Department, stated that the
Indian food situation is getting worse, and that Nehru's foolish policy
of self-sufficiency had` increased India's need of grain imports.
,ra p12V; Dat~? 2fa08
rovecNFore Yease 1999/04/09 : CIA-
SUBJECT' Views of Bombay Businessman on Deterioration NO. OF PAGES
 Approved For Release 19 9/09 : CIA-RDP82-00457R007100290001-5
25X1A
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Formerly India needed two pillion tons of grain and now needs four
million. Even if the necessary food were available in foreign noun--
tries, shipping difficulties make it ai t ost impossible to import
large quantities.
?:n a report c.i an .ndej>ondent agency dated
30 ~/anu. ry 19 , ! inoo i-nsani, Indian Member of Parliament, is
stated to believe that Nehru l s objective in planning an All-
Parties Conference is to lay the groundwork for delivering India
eventually to the Communist camp.
Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-00457R007100290001-5