now in existence. The viceroy had, however, rescued the Congress from an
uncomfortable situation, effectively throwing it a lifeline. His unilateral
declaration of war gave the Congress the opportunity to make a principled
stand and a public show of unity once more. And in the last confusing
years leading up to independence and the partition of India, it would be
the British government – who needed the Congress, as an organisation
with which to negotiate a transfer of power – that would keep an
organisation of that name together, and in possession of a rationale for
continued existence.102 ‘INEFFECTUAL ANGEL’, 1927–39