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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 9, No. 8 July, 3, 1946

Quitting India

Quitting India

Shall communal strife delay
India's Independence Day ?
Or the slogan " Pakistan"
Sabotage Great Britain's [unclear: planet]
No. The British Raj lays down
The brightest jewel in the Crown,
Britain yields her sovereignty,
India must and shall be free.

Final, total independence.
Rid of foreign superintendence,
Parliament, defence, religion
India is the Indian's pigeon.
Indian self-rule must begin.
This is where the' Raj came in.
Britons heartily agree
India must and shall be free.

Attlee clears the holy smoke,
India's not beneath the yoke.
Congress may or may not sit.
Britain is resolved to quit.
Even civil disobedience
Has exhausted its expedience,
Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims see
India must and shall be free.

Patel to Swarajists urban
Still is talking through his turban,
Sikhs may strike and Princes riot,
Ghandi may reduce his diet,
Jinnah may hold back the dawn.
But the Raj will be withdrawn
Britain gives her guarantee
India must and shall be free.

Can the Mission stay behind
Years, till India knows her mind?
No. The Raj is not deterred.
Freedom will not be deferred.
India goes to Gunga Din,
Britain will not intervene.
This is Britain's last decree—
India must and shall be free.

Sagittarius

(Reprinted from the "New Statesman and Nation")