Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c14.s3.t3.4

v2.c14.s3.t3.4

considerable wealth and was a prominent member of the community. After the Japanese occupation of north China during World War II, Abdul Bari had formed the Indian Residents’ Association in Tianjin. He became a controversial figure in the Indian community after the War as it was alleged that he had gone out of his way to build connections with the Japanese occupation authorities to further his own business interests, using funds belonging to the Association. This was denied by him. After the formation of the China Territorial Committee of the Indian Independence League (IIL) in 1942, Bari was persuaded by its General Secretary, Om Prakash Seth, to open the Tianjin chapter of the League. He did set up the branch of the IIL in Tianjin, but apparently did not dissolve the Indian Residents Association, which continued to exist until the end of the War in 1945.