“ON 18 MARCH 1946, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU met Dickie Mountbatten for the first time. At Government House, Singapore, which was then part of Malaya. His brother-in-law, Raja Hutheesing was in tow. After serving them tea, Mountbatten personally drove them to meet his wife, Edwina who was heading relief work in the St John Ambulance canteen, which she had set up. 

Along the route, the British administration had lined up lorry-loads of Indians so that they could catch a glimpse of Nehru, who had been released from prison in India a few months ago.  This arrangement was part of a pre-scripted drama by Viceroy Wavell, who had set in motion the process of leaving India for good.

He had a twofold task: (1) to make the departure guilt-free for the British (2) to create the impression in the Indian mind that colonial British rule had been beneficient. The Anglicised and Westernised and therefore, pliable Nehru was the perfect candidate. As in India, so in Singapore — Nehru was built up as a great hero and liberator……”