lisation was altogether unexpected. Who had ever expected that even those who have fought for years for India's freedom and who have braved the rigours of prison life would thus fail us in the most fateful hour of our history?
The latest stunt which has been devised to stave off struggle and which may in time prove to be the greatest fraud perpetrated on the Indian people by their own leaders is the proposal of a Constituent Assembly under the aegis of an Imperialist Government. We have made some serious study of history and polities, and in our view, a Constituent Assembly, if it is not a misnomer, can come into existence only after the seizure of power. If for instance the Congress and British Government are engaged in struggle over the Indian problem, the Congress will first have to come out victorious and form a Provisional Government to take over power. Only such a Provisional National Government can summon a Constituent Assembly for framing a detailed constitution for India. The Assembly that is now being proposed by the Congress Working Committee may be a glorified All-Party Conference but it certainly not a Constituent Assembly. It will meet with the fate of the Irish Convention, which was the creature of Mr. Lloyd George. The Indian people should have nothing to do with such
