DISORDER IN INDIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1942, Page 5

DISORDER IN INDIA

BOMBAY CHIEF CENTRE POLICE & TROOPS KEPT BUSY LONDON, August 10. A message from Bombay says: “The city has almost completely resumed normal-life. Few of the 70 mills have been shut down. It is clear that Congress is not receiving support from other parties. It looks as though the Government’s promptitude has crushed civil disobedience. Last night’s curfew completely cleared the streets. Anyone abroad was immediately arrested. The mob element was again busy in some areas this morning.” n . Many shops have closed m Calcutta, and work was interrupted at some jute mills. At Nagpur students have gone on strike and shops have been shut. Crowds at New Delhi were in an uglier mood than on the previous day. They forced the remaining shops—mostly Moslem shops —to close down. The police did not interfere beyond guarding banks and other buildings and pushing rioters off the tram lines, enabling empty trams to move on. Most of the local leaders have disappeared to avoid arrest, and the mobs are virtually leaderless. A crowd which tried to reach the Viceroy was led by women. Other reports indicated that Bombay was still the storm centre. The city’s death-roll yesterday and to-day was estimated at 15. More than 60 were taken to hospital to-day, mostly with bullet wounds. After an ugly day the disturbances were more serious late in the evening. The police were again forced to open fire in several places. Troops were called out in Bombay, New Delhi, and Lucknow. Another report said that the interruption of work in Bombay had spread to 18 mills and that the situation grew worse this afternoon in northern Bombay, where more trains were stoned, telegraph wires cut, street lamps smashed, and a post office attacked. Drivers abandoned a number of buses which were badly damaged.' Twenty-five buses were abandoned in one street. Bombay rail traffic was dislocated during attacks on the railway stations, in which a large number of rioters are believed to have been wounded. All the markets are closed and buses and trams are not operating on some routes. x Sardar Baldev, Punjab Minister of Development, stated that the Sikhs would not tolerate any subversive movement calculated to weaken the war effort.

DISORDERS RENEWED.

LONDON, August 11

In India, after a quiet night, demonstrations again broke out m the disturbed areas this morning. The B B.C. observer (Alhngton Kennard) says that after stoning m Bombay police had to fire twice, and 11 persons were wounded. In Lucknow there were no casualties, though rioters had to be charged three times by the police. Agency messages describing damage done in the disorders say that the East India Cotton Association has decided to close down till Saturday. All the provincial governments in India have now declared Congress organisations unlawful bodies, according to a New Delhi message. The Mysore State Government has also declared all Congress organisations in the State unlawful bodies. The New Delhi correspondent of the Associated Press savs that at Cawnpore police opened fire after being stoned by an excited mob. Eight were sent to hospital, two being in a serious condition. A Government order forbids newspaper headlines reflecting editorial opinion and requires the registration of all correspondents. It reiterates the determination to prevent the publication of any matter arousing sympathy for the Congress campaign. MORE DEMONSTRATIONS RUGBY, August 11. Despatches from India report that demonstrations, accompanied by indiscriminate violence and wrecking of public property, continued to-day in parts of Bombay and Delhi. Communications were interrupted. Stones were thrown at the police, who used lathis and tear gas, but when the mobs did not disperse they fired. They were supported by troops with sub-machine guns. Several deaths are reported. Poona and Ahmedabad are quieter. Several schools and colleges in various places are reported closed, the students having gone on strike. The Governor of Bombay is to broadcast.

GOVERNOR’S WARNING.

“STRONGEST MEASURES.’

(Recd. Noon). LONDON, August 11

Twenty-eight were killed and 200 injured in the rioting throughout India up to four o'clock this afternoon. The Governor of Bombay, Sir Roger Lumley, broadcasting, said: I am going to maintain order at any cost. I now give a plain warning that troops and police have been ordered to take the strongest measures wherever necessary. Further Government measures against rioting include application of the Emergency Whipping Act. Rioting in the northern sector of Bombay City took a grave turn today. It is now unsafe for anyone to appear in this area wearing a Western hat or neckie. The police opened fire in four places this morning. Troops on two occasions participated in the firing on riotous crowds, but, as when the police were involved, only a few shots were fired each time. Troops patrolling ini armoured cars discouraged the demonstrators considerably in other cities. Reports indicate that Poona and Ahmadabad are quiet. Arrests of prominent members of the Congress Party continue in various provinces. Provincial Governments are implementing the banning of Congress Committees. Authorities at Allahabad prohibited all processions and meetings for ten days. The position in North Bombay worsened this afternoon with dislocation of suburban rail services. A large crowd attacked the Matunga Railway Station, smashing indicators, invading the booking office, and pulling down the ticket shelves. The crowd then broke up into groups, smashing fire hydrants, fire alarms, and lamp posts. The Matunga Pos. Office has been closed after the cutting of telegraph and telephone wire. The rioters also cut several gas mains. Bonfires in the streets were fed with trees uprooted from the streets. Hats, neckties and other articles of European clothing were snatched from passers by, also copies of the British-owned “Times of India” newspaper. There was no trading in any markets in Bombay today. Schools and colleges are closed or had very scanty attendances. Mobs of students demonstrated, parading the shops to prevent reopening The East India Cotton Association, the biggest cotton market in India, is closing until August 15. More mills are closed in Bombay. Disturbances occured m Delhi s busiest street this morning The rioters, after setting fire to a fire engine and lorry, attempted to set fire to the Municipal Hall. The police opened fire killing one and wounding one. British troops were called out and are now patrolling the area.

CASUALTY TOTALS (Recd. 2 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 11. Bombay remains the very tense spot. Thirty-one were killed in the past three days and more than 250 injured. Over 500 were arrested. Five deaths and 22 injuries were reported to-day from Patna, three deaths and 22 injuries from Madura, three deaths in Old Delhi, and one death in New Delhi. The Cawnpore authorities have promulgated the death penalty for arson and for using explosives. The Bengal Province, where there are 20,000,000 Hindus, is reported to be calm.

SIKH DENUNCIATION.

(Recd. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 11. Sikandar Hyat Khan, Premier of the Punjab visiting troops in the Western Desert, said: “The Congress, unpatriotic attitude ■is a cowardly betrayal of the Motherland, and of hundreds of thousands of their gallant countrymen, who are shedding their blood thousands of miles from home to save India from subjugation to Fascism. I am confident that all patriotic Indians will see to it that the men fighting our battles are not betrayed.” CHINESE PRO-CONGRESS (Recd. noon) LONDON, August 11. The Associated Press Chungking correspondent reports that the President of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Yuan, said that Chinese sympathy was entirely with the Indians. It is understood that the Chinese Press to-morrow will proclaim its support of the Indian Congress Party leaders and urge the British to strive .lor a peaceful settlement. The corrtspondent said it is impossible to predict the effect of China‘s attitude on Anglo-Chinese relations, but Chinese official reaction is clearly crystallising in favour of India. The Indian problem is crucial for China, because the supply routes are via India. MEDIATION PROSPECTS.

(Rec. 1.55) CHUNGKING, Aug. 11. The spokesman asked whether China was willing to mediate in the Indian dispute, replied: If there is anything China can do, we will very gladly do so. He declined to reveal whether the British had approached Chungking for mediation, but said he had accepted an invitation to visit Lord Linlithgow (Viceroy) shortly. Asked whether he regarded Gandhi’s release as a pre-requisite to a British-Indian settlement, he said: The Chinese Government has no idea of the procedure for reaching a settlement. Any suggestions now might not be helpful. He asserted that although legally the Indian problem was a domestic British problem, it was the moral concern of all the United Nations. It bore directly upon the future prospects of a better world order. It might prove helpful to have a Pacific Charter, in which specific assurances were given. He commented, that nationalism cannot be suppressed by weapons alone. Asked whether the comments m the Chinese Press, which fully supported India’s independence demands are hurting Chinese-British relations, he said: I hope Chinese-British relations cannot be affected in the least by any episode. Warned that a continuation of disturbances in India would interfere with China’s war supplies, he said that Chinese intelligence indicated Japan was preparing to attack India in the Autumn. It was reported that Japanese transports had delivered fresh divisions on July 27/28 at Haiphong and Saigon (Indo-Chma). where they entrained for Thailand and Burma, where they could attack eastern India. • The Japanese had also concentrated a large group of warships in northern Formosa, probably for an attack on Fukien. . Concerning the Solomons, he said the Allied attack was very significant and a very timely offensive action, and one of the most heartening pieces of news received.