``For more than twelve months there had been warnings in the press that a food crisis in Bengal was imminent, but the public in India through government spokesmen, and in England by Mr. Amery, Secretary of State for India, were assured with soft, calming words, that all was well. Early in 1943 Mr. Amery assured the House of Commons that there would be no famine in India. Through July and August of that year came alarming reports of skyrocketing food prices and widespread distress, but as long as people were content to die quietly in their villages little notice was taken. By September they had the temerity to come to Calcutta to die and by October the stench of death even reached as far as the Viceroy's palace, and it was felt something ought to be done. ''
http://www.marxists.org/archive/burchett/1946/democracy-with-a-tommygun/ch08.htm
I was reminded of `Democracy with a Tommy Gun' (1946), by Wilfred Burchett this morning listening to Doug's interview with Madhusree Mukerjee. He outlined more or less the same thing. That IS NOT to take away from Mukerjee's work. Burchett was lost to history a long time ago and MM added a lot.
CG