INDIAN CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 7

INDIAN CONGRESS.

A FREE FIGHT. WEAPONS USED: MANY PERSONS INJURED. BT TELEGRAPH—rRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTEIOUT, Bombay, December 27. To-dAy Mr. B. G. Tilak,- an extremist, moved an amcndniont to Arabinda Glioso's election as president of the Indian National Congress. As a result tlipro was a free fight. Tho platform was rushed, and chairs and tables broken to splinters. Some of tlio delegates used weapons, and many persons woro injured. The police woro called in, and the Congress closed in tiio wildest disordor. RIVAL CONGRESS PARTIES. "The Times" of October 25 ■ states The lack of moral courago shown by .the more responsible and influential leaders of tlio.lndian National Congress in relation to the discredit being brought 011 the -organisation, by the Extremist section is now the subject of open censure on the part of Moderate Congress papers, and writes, owing to the disgraceful scenes enacted at Nagpur at tho close of last month. Tho Congress is to meet in that town at Christinas, and in accordance with the usual practico the local reception committee was called together by Mr. Chitnavis, tho Nagpur chairman, who has for many y-a.s represented the Central Provinces on tho Viceregal Legislative Council. For tho purpose ft creating a local demand for the appointment of Mr. B. G. Tilak as president of the Congress this year, extremist agitators determ 'nu! to "rush" the meeting and sought tho aid of schoolboys in so doing. Many persons iot members of tho committee forced their Why into tlio hall j and outside a vast crowd (f students and roughs prevented the mliii ui of most of tiio Moderates of tho coii'iiiitfri'; thoir cards wero torn up and ;hey .vero «i.yjected to abuse and insult. Within, the ores;dential chair was forcibly seized jy twr or three leading Extremists, who alleged Ihiit I he meeting had been convened contrary 10 ih» standing regulations. Angry and vituperative language, was indulged in, and tho meeting had to l)e dissolved- in confusion. The -non «-j>o had chiefly brought about this result woie garlanded, iuwcl Moderate, leaders woro stoned and otherwise assaulted. Many of them cnlr escaped serious injury by pledging themselves to \ote_ for Mr. Tilak. The ign ir-.mt n.eb was toid that Mr. Chitnavis and uio M-rle-ate party wero in favour of high prices and scarcity, and that they were for keeping lie motherland in subjection, against tho n.'\ of Mr. Tilak. Mr. Chitnavis aud many ..it hi* friends haijo resigned the reception oommilt-io; but they are reported to bo reluctant to take criminal proceedings against tlio iii a U£iiv ts of tho maltreatment to which they wero subjected. 1 Ml'. Iloriuusjeo Wadva, who is well known is a Congress writer and worker, has wrul'en to a Bombay native newspaper to urge that ihesj proceedings make it imperative Iliac the Moderate leaders should assert themselves if the Congress is to bo saved. It is, he rematl;?, impossible any longer to keep patience '.villi the strange paralysis that has overcome tlusc who should lead tho Moderates to and withstand tho worst onomies of the couse —the. Extremists. " Aro wo still '.o juattlc vainly of discipline and union? The' tinlv d.rcipline these men have known and shown is to proceed from abflse to assault And impose by Druto force the policy they cannot rsih :ce by argument. The union of these uon wiih the Congress is the. union of a diseased limb to a healthy body, and the only remedy is surgical severance if the. Congress is to be saved from death by blood-poisoning. It is >;o use disguising tho truth any longer. 'Lheie is no strength in silence; no credit in inoeiastination.