Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 229: Make Calcutta a Hong Kong Island and then join the SAARC

"Long live the lawbreakers~Long live free India~, long live the Mahatma~"

After bidding farewell to Marshal Meng in Kolkata, Zheng Yi arrived in Mumbai by plane. Before he had time to get off the plane, he heard the cheers of Indian people outside the airport welcoming him.

In terms of noise alone, it is almost comparable to when he recaptured Singapore.

He was not surprised at the warm welcome he received, but was surprised at the people of Mumbai... were they so high-profile?
Isn't India independent yet?

After his private plane landed, he saw a huge crowd of people outside welcoming him, some of them were even holding large photos of him.

As we all know, most of the photos of this era are in black and white, and the photos these Indians held up were also in black and white, which made Zheng Yi speechless.

However, not many people held up his photo, and far fewer than those holding up Gandhi's photo. At this moment, this old man, regarded as a spiritual totem by the Indian people, was like an almost withered old tree, skin and bones, but standing exceptionally tall in the center of the crowd, welcoming him in person.

Zheng Yi was so frightened that he almost wanted to order the plane to fly back immediately.

Too high-profile!
You have to know that India was still a British colony at that moment. Strictly speaking, it is not wrong to say that Gan and Nepal were Indian traitors.

The British knew very well that Zheng Yi came to India to meet these two traitors, but for the sake of basic diplomatic decency, everyone pretended to be ignorant.

Considering that the Governor-General of India was Marshal Meng, who had been severely offended by Tan Lark Sye in Singapore before, he was even a little worried that Marshal Meng would disregard his dignity and embarrass Zheng Yi.

For the sake of the British Empire's face and in order not to bring unnecessary risks to Gan and Ni, Zheng Yi even deliberately behaved as low-key as possible.

He had never rebelled, and he really lacked understanding of India's national conditions. Facing these enthusiastic Indian people, he was completely confused.

Secretly observing from the window, Zheng Yi even saw countless Indian policemen helping to maintain order. They were all smiling and looked very peaceful.

On the side, some people were scattering flowers in the air, and some were sprinkling a red powder into the sky that was hard to tell what it was.

It's like a festival.

Not far from Gan D, countless reporters who looked like Europeans and Americans were snapping pictures frantically with their cameras.

"To be a rebel these days... is it still possible to be like this?"

India~, it is such a magical land.

But soon, Zheng Yi actually understood what Gan D was thinking.

He just doesn't want Zheng Yi to regard him as a traitor.

He was proving himself to Zheng Yi: Even if India is still not independent today, my prestige in the country still counts, at least in Mumbai, now, at this moment, I have the final say, what can the British do to me?

In fact, the British really couldn't do anything about him. He held various rallies, movements, and parades every day, spreading his ideas of non-violence and non-cooperation everywhere. It has become a bit religious, to the level of pure chanting.

The British had thought about capturing Gandhi and Nepali, but they were horrified to find that if they let Gandhi walk around outside, the Indians would follow them and not resist.

But if you arrest Gandhi, these Indians will resist violently and will all follow Chandra Bose.

This person is rarely mentioned in Western history, but is also called one of the three fathers of the nation by Indians. He is the founder of the Indian National Army, which was a Nazi puppet army of the Empire of Japan funded by the Japanese and later received aid from Germany.

Even before the Japanese entered India, there were already Japanese puppet troops in India.

Moreover, these puppet troops fought very bravely. The most important thing was that after Gandhi was imprisoned, almost all the Indians in the British army started to go on strike, and some even mutinied and pointed their guns at their white officers.

The Indians were actually quite sensible. They knew very well that although Gandhi and Bose had different political views, it would be impossible for Gandhi alone to expel the colonists without Bose's cooperation.

Although Chandler Bowes is dead now, if Gan D is really arrested, who knows if another Bowes will come back to life.

The British were left with no choice but to ignore him.

However, Zheng Yi only knew that they were quite powerful, but he never expected that it had reached this point.

You know, this is Mumbai! It's not some remote, poor place.

If you think about it carefully, you will find that the Congress Party may have established a very complete administrative system with Mumbai as its core.

Apart from the fact that they lack independence in name and have no military power, it is very likely that they are no different from having complete independence.

What Britain and the Congress are arguing about now is probably not whether to allow the Indian people to gain independence, but how much influence Britain can retain in post-independence India and how much of Britain's assets can remain.

It was not until this moment that Zheng Yi had a general understanding of the power of the Congress Party in India.

After getting off the plane, Gandhi came out to greet him, held his hand tightly, and led him towards the reception hotel. Along the way, tens of thousands of Indian people surrounded them, surrounding them in the center like stars surrounding the moon.

They didn't even arrange a car for them. As they walked along, the group of people surrounding them was gradually expanding. The further they walked, the more people there were. Everyone was like a pilgrim, and countless people crowded over just to catch a glimpse of them.

He didn't know whether they were looking at him or Gan D, but in this atmosphere with a strong religious atmosphere, Zheng Yi couldn't help but feel the hairs all over his body stand up, and he had an inexplicable feeling of discomfort.

I really can't get used to Gan D's reception style.

His prestige and reputation among the Chinese in Southeast Asia are already great enough, but he would never reach this level, and he would never do such a thing.

Of course, it also made him further aware of Gan D's terror. This might be a way for Gan D to show off his power.

Along the way, Gan D kept telling him about his philosophy of non-violent non-cooperation, imagining India's bright future after independence, and humbly asked Zheng Yi if he had any suggestions for them after India's independence, how India should develop to rapidly develop its economy, and that as they were all Nanyang people, they must help each other in the international arena.

They are all big, empty and rather theoretical things, and the only time they are more confident is when describing the vision of India after independence.

However, Zheng Yi couldn't help but sigh: This damn national independence is too easy.

Is a victory really a victory if not many people died?
Some countries in this world are cross-cutting, and they only talk about class and nothing else, and even ignore the subtle differences between people in the same class in order to only talk about class.

Some countries divide people vertically, dividing the people of the same class into small groups based on subtle differences.

India is very powerful, it uses the Internet to cut.

After cutting horizontally, cut vertically, after cutting vertically, cut horizontally, and after cutting horizontally, cut diagonally again.

Within Indian society, religions, languages, and ethnicities are all different, and even full of contradictions. This is why the country ultimately chose non-violence.

Gan believed that if the Indians seized power through armed uprising, it would inevitably create hundreds of warlords of all sizes. Even if everyone could work together when the British were still there, what would await India after the British were driven away would be endless internal strife.

After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the Chinese experienced a civil war among more than forty warlords of varying sizes. If the Indians had followed the same path, there would probably not have been forty warlords, but more than four hundred.

It is difficult for Chinese people to accept this theory. To put it bluntly, there is no construction without destruction. The process of establishing and fighting an army is often a process of separating differences and retaining similarities among different people, establishing centralized power and high organization in the country, and a process of destroying society. It is also a process of reshaping consciousness.

This is what Bismarck said: Only in iron and blood can a great nation be born.

But to be honest, Gan and Ni are not wrong. Confucian civilization thinks differently from foreigners. The Chinese admire the Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi, the Koreans also agree with Park Ka-kai, and the Japanese also love the Meiji era.

However, the British's attitude towards Archduke Cromwell, the Soviets' attitude towards the loving father, the Americans' attitude towards Ronald Reagan, and the French's attitude towards Philip II can only be described as "mixed" at best.

If Lincoln had not died a miserable death, he would have been called a tyrant.

It is difficult for Confucian culture to understand why the British criticized Archduke Cromwell. Different cultures naturally lead to different evaluations of politics, and politicians naturally have different ways of doing things.

Chinese politicians don't mind making certain sacrifices when given the opportunity, and they also want to create a better era for future generations. The people actually understand this, and they even have a high degree of understanding of the "crimes in the present", as long as they can be sure that this matter will benefit future generations.

Foreigners don’t have this cultural gene.

Without considering the future and future generations, the non-violent non-cooperation initiated by Gandhi and Nepali can indeed be regarded as the most suitable way of struggle for contemporary Indians. At least it has prevented many people from dying.

Whether the two leaders whose "merits are in their present time but sins are in the future generations" can be considered good leaders depends on different people's standards of judgment.

Soon, Zheng Yi followed him to the hotel they had prepared. After all, they still gave the British some face. Zheng Yi was a little afraid that this guy would take him directly to the city hall.

The two chatted briefly for more than half an hour, which was all meaningless nonsense. Soon Gan D went downstairs to rest.

After all, the old man is in his seventies or eighties and has limited energy. Moreover, for the Indian people, he is actually more of a spiritual leader, but just a spiritual leader. If we really want to do something practical, the person who really controls the affairs within the Congress Party is still Nepal.

After the old man left, since we had finished talking about all the empty talk, we could finally start talking about something practical.

"I heard that Mr. Zheng has a remarkable ability to locate oil fields with just the naked eye. He even discovered the world's largest oil field, the Ghawar oil field. We in India are also short of oil. Do you think India can become an oil-producing country?"

As he spoke, he personally poured Zheng Yi a cup of green tea that looked a bit strange.

It tastes pretty good.

Zheng Yi: "That... I'm not sure, but geologically speaking, it shouldn't be too abundant."

"Really? That's a shame. Mr. Zheng, do you think India has any unique advantages in economic development?"

"Uh..." Zheng Yi was really stumped for a moment.

Seeing this, Ni gave a wry smile, but finally got to the point: "As you can see, for us, I believe independence is a matter of time. British imperialism will definitely be driven out by us, and victory will belong to the great Indian people. So, I want to know, if we want to join SAARC, what benefits will we get, and what obligations will we need to assume for SAARC?"

Zheng Yi: "The original intention of the SAARC was just an alliance between financial groups. The main members are large multinational financial groups. Of course, we also recognize that some cities, due to SAARC investment, can become SAARC port cities and will therefore implement some of SAARC's special laws."

Nirvana: "Although India has a large population, it is still a British colony, and almost every industry is controlled by the British, not to mention multinational corporations. I wonder if large state-owned enterprises can be accepted within SAARC?"

Zheng Yi: "Of course it's feasible. Honestly, there aren't many multinational corporations in the world that aren't backed by any country. Shell, Gulf Oil, and Royal Marine, for example, all count the British royal family among their major shareholders, effectively acting as state capital."

"SAARC does not restrict the behavior of companies within their own countries, regardless of whether they are state-owned or not. It only requires that exchanges and trade within SAARC abide by SAARC internal rules and international rules. But is Mr. Ni willing to split up state-owned enterprises, list them in Penang, and allow foreigners to buy and sell their shares?"

"And Mr. Ni, a company without roots ultimately needs a city to rely on. I wonder if you would accept the transfer of some sovereignty to the Southern Alliance?"

Ni frowned slightly upon hearing this, but didn't say whether it was okay or not. Instead, he took the initiative to talk about something else: "If a city like Mumbai or Kolkata joins SAARC, what will it take?"

Zheng Yi: "For cities within the SAARC region, the most basic requirement is zero tariffs within the region. At the same time, SAARC businesses also need to be protected to a certain extent. For example, we have always insisted that employees of SAARC companies can legally carry guns, and each factory must establish its own security team."

After saying that, Ni shook his head like a rattle and said, "That's impossible. We can't agree to your conditions. Whether it's zero tariffs or legal gun ownership, we can certainly engage in smuggling trade now. The tariffs are paid to the British. If they want to collect them, we have to find ways to circumvent them."

"Since you've come here in person, I hope we can have some in-depth discussions. India will eventually become independent. If Calcutta joins the SAARC and implements zero tariffs, wouldn't that be tantamount to SAARC, or would Penang be colonizing India in disguise?"

"As for the armed deployment of troops in invested factories, that is impossible, even now. We advocate a non-violent movement, and even we don't carry guns."

"Mr. Zheng, I have some understanding of your SAARC. I think your logic is reasonable when applied to places like Penang, Alor Setar, Bandar Seri Begawan, Singkawang, and even Singapore.

These are all trading cities, and almost all of them are island and port cities. They lack inland hinterland and modern organizational leadership. To put it bluntly, they are just scattered stars in the ocean, lacking resources and easily bullied, so they have to huddle together in this way to keep warm.

However, if Kolkata joins you, it will be completely different. No matter when, Kolkata must be and can only be our Kolkata in India. This will radiate to the whole of India.

Let's be frank. The places you have in SAARC are small, not so-called countries. Even if they become independent in the future, they will still be small countries and small cities. There's no need to be too concerned about sovereignty, and there's no reason to be overly concerned.

"However, after independence, we in India aim to be the leader of the world's poor and oppressed, leading the enslaved nations and peoples of the world to rise up and pursue equality and freedom. In short, we are a great power."

"Big countries and small countries are of course different. Mr. Zheng, if an Indian city joins the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), should some rules be amended for a big country like us?"

"If we, India, join you and contribute to the development of SAARC together, how can we, the Indians, exercise our rights and make SAARC give us the status we deserve?"

Ni is a man with good abilities and vision. He has a good background and education, and he thinks in the long term.

Naturally, it is impossible to give Zheng Yi an unconditional opening, allowing SAARC to gain all the advantages in cooperation with India without suffering any losses. Zheng Yi has been prepared for this.

"You're right. Big countries and small countries have different demands and positions. But honestly, I thought our main focus this time was on how to bypass the rupee and pound sterling and use the South African currency in the short term. As for what will happen after your independence, I haven't really thought that much about it."

Ni: "I've been to China before, and I've heard there's an old saying in China: 'Those who don't plan for eternity are not qualified to plan for the moment.' A political vision is the most important quality in a politician, but I don't believe it. Mr. Zheng has really never given this much thought."

Zheng Yi: "The Malay Peninsula is also clamoring for independence. The Malays also plan to establish a country belonging to the Malays. If nothing unexpected happens, they should be able to succeed in independence, but they will not withdraw from the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth has its own fixed tariffs. Will India join the Commonwealth?"

Upon hearing this, Ni frowned tightly, hesitant for a moment, and could only say, "I haven't thought about it yet. If we become independent but remain in the Commonwealth, wouldn't that mean our independence is incomplete? Besides, after India's independence, I plan to build it into a democratic, democratic, communist country. If we remain in the Commonwealth..."

"Honestly speaking, if India joins the Commonwealth, it will probably be very difficult."

In fact, there is another reason that Ni did not fully explain, that is, India as a country must rely on a strong opponent and achieve successive victories in order to survive.

A society divided into networks is really a mess. Without enemies, there is no central government.

The British started India's democratic election journey as early as the 20s, with ulterior motives. This made it impossible for India to adopt any political form that could centralize power.

As a time traveler from the 21st century, no matter how much one has been brainwashed by public intellectuals, one must at least admit that democratic elections are a game that only the middle class can play.

If parents fully respect their children's personalities, they will most likely find that their children's nature is mostly lazy, greedy, and playful.

If the country respects the choices of its people, it will probably find that most people are short-sighted and lazy.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with this, but any country, like any person, must endure a period of hardship and build up basic industries if they want to rise, even if it means just having to make ends meet.

Which country didn’t go through industrialization with blood and tears?
Even the rise of Britain was due to Archduke Cromwell whipping the British people.

The fate of the world is the same as that of the individual: if you don't want to suffer for a while, you will suffer for the rest of your life.

If you hold a democratic election before industrialization and urbanization are basically completed, you will all suffer for the rest of your life without exception.

I looked all over the world, but found no exception.

Add to this the unique Indian culture of debate and the networked social structure.

Tsk tsk.

Let alone industrialization, it is even difficult to maintain itself as a country.

The only solution is to play with ideology intensively, establish a powerful enemy to unite the people, and preferably this enemy can actually bring them relatively great pressure. Only in this way can the central government be maintained, policies can be implemented, and there is a one in ten thousand chance of pushing the country forward.

Of course, this enemy can only be Britain. Even if the British really leave, Nepal will continue to publicize the hatred of the British and scare the Indian people: If our country cannot become strong, the British will come back and re-colonize and enslave us.

In order to become strong, we need to tighten our belts, suffer for a while, and embark on industrialization.

Is this the logic of the formation of a normal country? As a country, India has skipped classes too many times. China had already completed this kind of national construction as early as the Han Dynasty relying on the Huns. They only started to do it in modern times. Naturally, there is no reason not to make up for it.

In other words, Nepal and the Congress Party maintained India's legality, which was the powerful enemy of Britain, and needed to lead India to victory through arduous struggles and unite the people.

And if India had joined the Commonwealth after independence, and even used the British pound, and followed Britain's ass in the international arena...

This imaginary enemy used to unite the internal forces can no longer hold its own.

You can't eat British food and curse Britain's mother at the same time.

As more and more people make money through foreign trade, the elite class's ties with Britain will inevitably become closer and closer.

The common people are just acting blindly, they are not stupid. How can they be fooled so easily?

What will they do then? Create a completely new imaginary enemy? Who else can be the target of this imaginary existence and become India's imaginary enemy?

Ok……

Thinking about it this way, Zheng Yi seemed to have figured out the problem that had puzzled him for ten days and ten nights.

But he suddenly realized why Ni took the initiative to come to him and join the Southern Alliance.

It means that they want to join the world and do not want to close their country to the outside world, but they also do not want to join the Commonwealth and continue to be a vassal of the British, and do not want to use the British pound.

Zheng Yi thought for a moment and said, "Of course I understand the differences between India, a large country, and us, a small country in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Indeed, it's impossible to force the same system onto every corner of the world without making any changes."

In fact, if Zheng Yi were really asked to come to India with money to invest and build a factory, he would not dare to do so.

"I do have an idea. It's possible for a country to have two different economic governance systems. Calcutta, as the core of British colonial rule in India and also India's most international city, is probably home to a majority of the city's residents, who are Anglicized, the so-called elite."

"In that case, why not use Kolkata as a window for India to open up to the outside world, see the world, understand the world, and integrate into the world, while other parts of India can be reformed and transformed according to your ideas?"

"If they don't want to join the Commonwealth, then having Kolkata join the SAARC is indeed a good option. Considering India's uniqueness as a major country, we at SAARC don't have to set up factories in Kolkata and fully comply with Indian laws."

“We can establish a financial center here for India to communicate with the world. We can list those companies that need to engage in international exchanges as large enterprises in Kolkata. I can also make the decision for some SAARC companies related to India to transfer their securities issuance to Kolkata.

In other parts of India, you use your own currency, but in Kolkata, you can use our SAARC currency. Indians in Kolkata can even use passports that are different from those in India. With the special status of a SAARC member, people can freely communicate with other cities in SAARC, but other parts of India cannot.

"Of course, in this case, we must also have a hand in the issuance of passports by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. I hope you can understand this."

"If, I mean if, you can and are willing to keep a small number of British people in Kolkata, or even establish a political team that is separate from the main body of India, I think we at SAARC will be very willing to absorb Kolkata as our member. This will definitely be a win-win choice."

To put it bluntly, it is the Indian version of Hong Kong Island.

Of course, this will also create a barrier between Kolkata and the heartland of India. However, as far as Zheng Yi knows, Kolkata is not India's base and cannot get along with people from other parts of India.

As the center of British Indian rule, comprador thinking is deeply rooted in this place.

Moreover, if this is done, it will also be a good thing for the Southern Alliance. After all, it is like a snake swallowing an elephant.

If the people of Kolkata didn't have the idea that "I am not an Indian", he wouldn't dare to accept it.

Ni's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he murmured, "A window for communication with world civilizations... In other words, apart from this window, I can close the door and peacefully carry out internal reforms... Indeed, it's a good idea."

"Mr. Zheng, you truly are a world-class political and economic expert. Let's have a good chat about Kolkata's incorporation into the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)."

(End of this chapter)