Arora, K.C., “India league and India conciliation group as factors in Indo-British relations, 1930-49” 1989, Ph.D., London, London School of Economics, 41-9209. Brief summary.

“The mutual repugnance of Indian nationalism and British imperialism found a new expression in 1930 when the Indian national Congress proposed to establish an independent republic in India and to sever all connections with Britain. Such a conception, however, had no mouthpiece in Britain. The India League and the India Conciliation group, therefore, emerged to bridge this gap. These organisations attempted to influence public opinion and lobbied people in power in order to achieve Indian independence. The India League publicized the state of affairs in India through its bulletins, periodicals, pamphlets and meetings. The India Conciliation group strove to open negotiations to resolve deadlocks whenever they occurred. They both played an important part at the round table conferences of 1930-32 and sought real power to be transferred to Indians through The Government of India Act 1935. Their success was, however, negligible. On the contrary the India Defence League relentlessly opposed any concessions to Indians and succeeded in placing greater powers in the hands of the Viceroy and governors and introducing safeguards, so making the advance of democracy in India more difficult. The Second World War changed the situation. India's independence was thought to be essential if Britain was to obtain her wholehearted support in the war effort and to fight fascism and Nazism. But no concessions could be obtained from the government headed by Churchill. The Labour members of the India League, however, ensured that the annual conference of the Labour party in 1944 adopted a resolution in favour of Indian independence; and the victory of the Labour party, in the British general election of 1945, made India's freedom possible two years later. On achieving their objectives of Indian independence the India League and the India Conciliation group continued in existence to project the performance of new India in Britain and to promote Indo-British understanding and friendship.” From the abstract.