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The Alan Campbell-Johnson Chat

Dear Mr Johnson: Sir Don't you think that Britains imperialist way of life has caused worls-wide repercussions . Today Hong Kong is about to become part of China, and there are various problems in economics and the people. What is your opinion?

Were the British overwhelmed by the idea of a united Indian subcontinent? Is that why the Partition took place?

Thank you for your kind response. Has the Indian or Pakistani governments invited you to visit India/Pakistan in August? Or have you been forgotten? Have you stayed in touch with developments in both countries?

Was Gandhi not an attractive chap? What about Jinnah? And you still have not clarified why you liked the Sardar and Liaquat?

What have you done after 1947? Back to journalism? Politics? Forgive me for not knowing what you did after 1947?

Personally speaking, which Indian leader did you like the most? Why?

What kind of a man was Lord Mountbatten? Did you stay in touch with him till his death?

Salim: I can't answer for what the Muslims believed in, but the perception that they were unfairly treated is not true. If India had rejected the settlement, the Muslim League would have got nothing. Lord Mounbatten had to ensure that India would accept the settlement and he was particularly sensitive to this issue. Mountbatten faced a great problem after the plan had been accepted. He hoped to be invited by both India and Pakistan to be joint governor-general. When Jinnah indicated that he would be the governor-general of Pakistan, Mountbatten faced a dilemma. He had been invited by India, but was he to refuse because Pakistan had not invited him. Lady Mountbatten wanted him to go home on the 15th of August. But this was not the view of his staff, and there was overwhelming backing to stay, it was his duty to do so. But he recognised that in staying on he realised that the feeling would be there that he was not impartial; but believe me, he was, because it was in his interest to ensure that the settlement was successful.

Agnivesh> Sorry, but just got back in from my kitchen work. And was very touched with your kind crack at me. But I thought this was going to be a frank chat. And I thought us Indians had outgown such prissiness which restrained us from acknowledging that there were such things going on in this big , bad world of ours... well, well, I might be wrong. Or maybe, people like you are waiting for 100 years of Independance to acheive mental matuarity! Right?

Thank you, sir. There is an attempt to portray Lord M as the villain of the piece. In the Jinnah film, he is shown as favouring India because he was cuckolded by his wife!

What kind of a man was Lord Mountbatten? Did you stay in touch with him till his death? Was he dominated by Edwina, who appears a pretty powerful personality? Do you think Whitehall tolerated him because of his Uncle Dickie connections?

How did the Mountbattens get along with Jinnah?

Alan: Do you think Bharatiya Janata Party can threaten the secular fabric of India???

Did you feel that the partition is necessity or has been pushed as part of settling political scores?

How do you rate India as a democracy?

Is is unfortunate that Gandhi is now villified by all sides. The Hindu fundamentalists despise him. They think he was a sissy because of his non-vioelence. Never mind if none of their lot -- the Hedgewars and the Golwalkars -- did anything to fight for freedom. The Muslims despise him for God knows what reason. But they do. They think he was a Hindu leader. The Left keeps him at a distance. the harijans revile him. He is truly a prophet without a country. Do you believe he was a great man?

Anwar: Mountbatten was a very good man to work for. I served on his staff for altogether six years, and I think I am the only survivor from those who were with him when he was Chief of Combined Operations; subsequently as Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia. His experience as Supreme Commander was in fact a form of rehearsal for his term as Viceroy. He was a good man to work for as he gave his staff their head (independence). I always remember my last assignment for him when I went to visit the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Nizam did not want to meet him and I had to tell that to Mountbatten. Mountbatten said to me: 'You tell me not what I want to hear but what I ought to hear.' A man who can say that is a good man to work for.

Of course, the bloody BJP can threaten the future of India. Don't you read Dear Rediff? That gives you an impression of their mindset? We will have the likes of Varsha Bhosle ruling us. (Heavens forbid!)

Wrong! There are certain mores of behaviour, especially if you are conversing with someone as distinguished as Mr Johnson. If you are curious about Nehru's sexuality, there is a more dignified way of doing it - some one else did it sometime back in a manner that was not at all offensive. Instead you are behaving like a C-grade Bollywood starlet. And hey, I think your dal is burning. I think you should pay more attention to your kitchen than trying to grapple with matters beyond your understanding!

Alan: Muslims in India, as many muslim scholars in India say today, voted for Muslim League in the year 1946 to teach congress a lesson. But the Britishers considered that vote was for the Partition of India, will you agree to their point of view?

How much of a role did World War II play in the British decision to give India independence?

Did you feel that the partition is necessity or has been pushed as part of settling political scores?

I will not impose any more questions on you sir. Thank you for speaking to us. I am grateful for your time and may God give you many many more years on this earth. Good night, Sir.

Was the accession brought about by deceit? There is a theory that the Indians forged the Instrument of Accession? Would you agree that Lord M was led astray on the matter of Kashmir by Nehru and Co?

Sekhar: I think Partition was inevitable by the time and under the circumstances we got there. I don't think it was always inevitable and there were a whole series of lost opportunites going right back to the 1930s. But the decision of the Congress party to reject Cripps's offer in 1942 and go on a civil disobedience movement was, to use Jinnah's words, Gandhi's Himalayan blunder. Whether Jinnah would have settled for anything less than Partition during the time of the Cabinet Mission Plan in 1946 is an open question. The opportunity, if there was one, came and went.

Personally speaking, which Indian leader did you like the most? Why?

Why is it that whenever the British granted independence to a nation, they made sure they left behind a legacy of chaos and bloodshed?

But what was the result? India was ill-prepared for the Partition; and our memory of that precious moment will always be tinged with sorrow at the rivers of blood that flowed through our country. It was too high a price! Don't you think the British, with their centuries of experience, could have been a little more careful?

There is a new book that says that irrespective of Gandhi, India would have won its freedom. One reviewer in the Sunday Telegraph said India would have been free in 1927 had it not been for Mr G. Do you agree?

Where, in your opinion, does Kashmir belong? In India or in Pakistan?

hello, and a warm welcome to you sir

Were the British overwhelmed by the idea of a united Indian subcontinent? Is that why the Partition took place?

Personally speaking, which Indian leader did you like the most? Why?

Personally speaking, which Indian leader did you like the most? Why?

So Gandhi was the man responsible for Partition? But I don't think Mr J would have been satisfied with anything less than Partition? He was a cunning fellow.

How much of a role did World War II play in the British decision to give India independence?

How much of a role did World War II play in the British decision to give India independence?