OUTLOOK DARK

Evening Star, Issue 25942, 6 November 1946, Page 7

OUTLOOK DARK

COMMUNAL STRIFE IN INDIA TROUBLE MAY SPREAD TO OTHER CENTRES (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) LONDQN, November 5. Pointing out how the pendulum of communal strife, which began swinging in Calcutta on August 16, .and later moved eastward to Noakhali and the adjacent districts of Bengal', has now swung violently in the opposite direction to Bihar, where large-scale rioting is reported, the New Delhi correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says the • desire for communal revenge is the obvious reason for these alternating outbreaks. Whereas the Moslems suffered the most casualties in Cal-/ cutta, the Hindus formed the majority of the victims in East Bengal, and the Moslems are again the sufferers In Bihar. The correspondent adds, without wishing to be alarmist, that there is reason to fear that the trouble may not end there, but may spread in widening circles to the United Provinces and possibly to Punjab where the communities are more evenly matched numerically and the consequences would be even graver. Unless responsible leaders of both communities can get together and frame a common programme designed to end this insensate strife, the outlook for Northern India is indeed dark. Official, reports from Patna admit that 270 were killed in the four affected districts and many more injured. Arson is reported to be rife, but, unlike the situation in East Bengal, forcible conversion and marriage are not reported. It is probable that the death roll is .already twice or thrice that officially and British troops are operating in several places and assisting the civil authorities to restore order. WARNING TO RIOTERS. Pandit Nehru, in a speech, warned rioters in the Bihar Province that the Government would show no mercy, and that they would be fired on and bombed from the air if necessary. He added that the people were seriously mistaken if they thought the Swaraj meant freedom to cut the throats of those with -whom they disagreed. The police fired on a crowd which was stoning a restaurant in Bombay’s dock area last night, killing one and injuring two people. A state of emergency was declared in the Kolaba district of Bombay Province after clashes between Moslems and Hindus, states the Associated A A .3. -t. »*«

irlrtririrririrPirtrirtirirfrtirfrt 1 Press correspondent. Extra police were rushed there after Hindus attacked the Moslem colony. Twelve people were killed and 10 injured. A crowd attacked a bus in one village, injuring five. The night curfew has been extended for two months from to-morrow in all areas of Bombay Province affected by the rioting. The Moslem celebration of Bkar-Idd began in relative calm, but Hindus stoned three Moslem .assemblies and the police fired twice. Six, stabbings are reported elsewhere in Bombay.