791.00/4–254
The Ambassador in India (Allen) to the Department of State
No. 1546
Ref:
- Department’s Instruction A–322, March 3, 19541
Subject:
- Congress Party
In reply to the reference instruction… the Embassy… investigating the extent to which not only the younger, but the older Congress Party members of Parliament are dissatisfied with Mr. Nehru’s foreign policy and believe that India should openly favor the Western nations.
As of this time there is no question that apprehension, if not dissatisfaction, over Nehru’s foreign policy exists within Parliament. This apprehension has arisen in the minds of some Members of Parliament, especially after the announcement of United States military aid to Pakistan, principally because they feel that India is gradually being isolated in its quest for a “third force” area, and because they cannot understand just what Mr. Nehru has in mind vis-à-vis developing a foreign policy which might increase India’s security. Embassy contacts within Parliament clearly indicate that certain of the Congress right-wingers, most of the Praja Socialists, and such intelligent Independents as Jaipal Singh, Bihar Member of Parliament, and Frank Anthony, nominated Member of Parliament representing the Anglo-Indians, are clearly dissatisfied with Mr. Nehru’s foreign policy efforts. With the exception of Mr. Anthony, however, no one in the above mentioned groups has thus far chosen to express himself publicly as opposed to India’s foreign policy.
Press reports of Mr. Anthony’s March 23 speech in Parliament in reply to Mr. Nehru’s remarks opening the foreign policy debate are enclosed. Although Mr. Anthony’s remarks were realistic and particularly pleasing to United States ears, he unfortunately does not carry sufficient political weight to make his words take hold in India.
The question raised in the referenced instruction also brings up a very basic point constantly under study which is the determination of the role played by foreign policy in the internal Indian political scene. Nearly all members of the Congress Party, irrespective of their political ideologies, seem to be aware of two factors which have an important bearing on their political futures—(1) Mr. Nehru’s leadership and (2) Mr. Nehru’s foreign policy. As has been reported in the past, the Congress Party has relied in no small measure on Nehru’s foreign policy pronouncements to maintain itself in power. There is no reason to believe that the Party is still not dependent to a great [Page 1747] degree on this political factor, which has, generally speaking, attracted more attention than relatively non-glamorous, internal programs such as the Five Year Plan. With this in mind, the Embassy is of the opinion that any group of Congressmen which might at this time attempt to divorce itself publicly from Mr. Nehru’s foreign policy would be risking political suicide.
It would therefore appear that no matter how distasteful Nehru’s efforts in the field of foreign affairs may be to some politicians, the chances of any sizable group within the Congress taking issue with him in the political arena as long as he remains at the head of the Party are extremely limited.
Counselor for Political Affairs
- Not printed. (791.00/3–354)↩