"We ask the great masses of India to be patient a short time longer, while the cause of freedom is being fought out, not because we want to delay, but because the hard facts of war make a complete change impossible at the moment"

This quote by Stafford Cripps, a British politician and diplomat, addresses the Indian public during an important time in history. It reflects the geopolitical and domestic complexities faced by both Britain and India during World War II. At the heart of this statement is a plea for patience from the Indian masses, as the British federal government browsed the difficulties of war and the growing demand for Indian self-reliance.

Cripps is basically acknowledging the aspirations of the Indian self-reliance movement while at the same time discussing why immediate self-reliance could not be granted. He is requesting for continued patience, recommending that the resolution of World War II is a prerequisite for any substantial political modification in India. Cripps suggests that the ongoing war effort bypasses the immediate ability to shift power, not from a desire to reduce Indian autonomy, but due to the logistical and practical constraints imposed by the war.

The expression "the reason for flexibility is being battled out" can be interpreted in 2 methods. Mainly, it alludes to the larger worldwide conflict against Axis powers, a battle in which the Allied victory would seemingly protect liberty from fascist supremacy. It also discreetly links the timeframe of India's potential liberty to the outcome of that international battle. Cripps, for that reason, is positioning the war effort as an inevitable obstacle to Indian self-reliance, asserting that the circumstance is temporary and stressing that Britain's wartime focus is not a reflection of a disrespect or acknowledgment for India's right to self-governance.

Through this statement, Cripps is attempting to assuage Indian disappointments by acknowledging their legitimate aspirations while requesting their ongoing assistance in the wider war effort. It's a diplomatic balancing act, implied to preserve Indian cooperation in the war and mitigate the political stress of the self-reliance movement. The underlying message is one of deferred hope, assuring a reevaluation of the independence issue once the wartime "hard truths" are dealt with.