Role of Indians
p. 164 · Read in the full issue
Letter to Editor Role of Indians in World War II
I SHOULD like to correct somj mistakes in an otherwise well-balanced article by Mr R. W. Robson in February PIM| It is not right to say that then are several races of Indians ii Fiji, but it is a fact that they an divided into more than om religion, and whilst one mus admit the usual differences o opinion amongst them, there i nothing in this to get stirred-U] about.
The “stubborn adherence” t( the Hindi language is not onl; natural and inherent in th Indian, also it was inevitable sind the State did not provide, unti a short time ago, any facility fbi the education of a vast numbd of Indian children. India] vernacular is now second to Englisl language, and it would surpris many to know that a considerabt section of the Fiji-Indiai community now speaks English better than Hindi.
The contention that the Indiarj “refused to assist the British ii World War II” and that thd “did practically nothing” to helj are statements that have no basi at all.
If anything, the Indians’ offer join the fighting forces wa refused. One of the war-tim Governors asked me why th Indians were not in Worli War I. In spite of the Goverrj ment’s refusal to take them i; the fighting forces and despite th fact that the authorities disbandej the Indian platoon in the loca Defence Force, hundreds of Indian joined and remained, until th close of the war, in the Transport Labour Corps and other section of the army. My own sons, high] recommended by persons i: authority, were turned down by th army authorities.
Only 3 years ago His Excellent] the Governor put a full stop toj controversy on the same subject b admitting the Government’s failui to enlist the Indians in the fightih forces.
I am, etc.,
C. Chattur Singh
Ba, Fiji April 3. (It seems probable that in tn fifth paragraph above, Mr. Sind means World War II —not Wort War I). t There was a short but shar earth tremor in Suva in the earl hours of May 2. Occasions tremors have been felt in the cit since the severe earthquake in Sep tember, 1953.