INDIA QUIETER

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1942, Page 5

INDIA QUIETER

authorities optimistic

BOMBAY CASUALTIES

LONDON, August 12. The situation in Bombay was considerably quieter this morning than in the last three days. There were no further incidents of any importance. An attempt was made to picket a railway station to prevent workers from going to factories, but the picketers fled on the arrival of the police. At Ahmadabad the police had to fire on a procession after stones had been thrown at them. No one was hurt. x Five more Congress Party members have been arrested in Calcutta. Fifty people were arrested in Bombay for breaches of the curfew .last night. The Bombay correspondent of the British United Press reported yesterday that the trouble was spreading from the north of Bombay to the more fashionable areas. Stretcher parties were active throughout the day. The casualties yesterday were 16 killed and more than 30 injured. Armoured cars and lorries carrying troops armed with Tommy-guns patrolled the streets. Several hundred police have been brought in to reinforce the city force, which is normally 7000. Scores of unescorted women calmly shopped in the European centre. Only a few miles away students and workers roamed the streets, shrieking defiance of the British. A violent mob broke into six police posts in Poona last evening, smashing furniture, and burning documents. The New Delhi correspondent of the “Daily Express” says: “Most of the shops are barred, but many are trading from back doors. Officials do not think the trouble will be really serious.”

It is officially reported in New Delhi that an angry crowd killed a Moslem police sub-inspector near the railway clearing accounts office, which'was burnt out. The situation became ugly yesterday morning through the activities of a large crowd of mill workers. The town hall in New Delhi was practically destroyed by fire and the income tax office was burned down. Many pillarboxes were uprooted. Latest official information from India leaves no doubt as to the sporadic and limited character of the demonstrations that so far have occurred. The authorities have the situation completely in hand. There is no indication of any widespread mass movement. The countryside is unaffected. There is virtually no interference with the war effort. At Calcutta, there were no repercussions to the arrests of the Congress Party leaders. The few shops in that city which closed have re-opened. The reported closing of some jute mills has no political significance, and is attributable to trade factors. No reports of disturbances come from outlying districts in Bengal. Disturbances were confined to a few cities such as Bombay and Ahmenadab, which are Congress strongholds, and contain hooligan elements easily provoked, and hot-headed students.

CLASHES WITH POLICE

(Rec. 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 12. British armoured cars and troop lorries are now patrolling the streets of Bombay and Delhi. In those and in other cities riots led by Congress supporters have so far caused 53 deaths. Police opened fire several times on mobs in Bombay to-day. In one instance firing occurred when a crowd at Nasik attempted to snatch arms from police escorting arrested persons. Rioters stabbed several constables and freed one prisoner. Police also fired on rioters in Old Delhi, Moradabad, Karachi, Cawnpore, Madras, Bassein, and Ahmedabad. In Madras, police fired, in self-defence, when a mob pelted them with stones. To post offices were looted at Cawnpore.. The authorities in Cawnpore and Lucknow have decreed the death penalty for rioting. Six self-govern-ing civic bodies at Nagpur have been suspended on the ground that they are supporting the Congress.

ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS

RUGBY, August 12

Messages from India show the rioting has been restricted to some three or four places during the daytime. and there is no apprehension in London of mass disorders on . the scale of the previous outbreak. The stern measures threatened by the Governor of Bombay have apparently not yet had to be taken. The campaign, for which there seems no universal enthusiasm, even on the part of the Congress Party supporters, - is entirely unsupported by any other sections of parties, whether Hindu or Moslem, and is expressly denounced by organised labour. The possibility is recognised that racial and communal disorders, unconnected with the original campaign, may break out, but the Indian Government is known to be capable ol dealing with such trouble. The fact that distinguished Indians, who form the majority of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, readily shared the responsibility for the action taken is regarded as a valuable sign of a sense of responsibility and recognition by Indians of the necessity for solidarity. Responsible opinion in London continues to welcome constructive Indian aspiration for more active participation in the war. The attainment of such co-operation was the essential object of Sir S. Cripps plan, which the British Government have just declared remains the basis of their policy. The folly of the Congress Party leaders is indeed regarded as making even more urgent the need to associate representative leaders of India with the defence of their country in its hour of danger. Further authoritative information received in London to-night indicates that while reports from the provinces are not complete, the initial measures taken have not had serious results. Only in Delhi, Bombay, and the United Provinces, have any serious clashes with the authorities been reported. Even there, trouble has been localised in a few centres like Bombay, Ahmedabad, Poona, Delhi, Lucknow, and Cawnpore. There is no trouble in many centres, where disturbances were expected Even in Bombay, such centres ox potential disorder as Bardoli and Sholapur are reported quiet. It will be some time before the situation can be judged definitely, but official information from Delhi tonight is that wherever disturbances occuned, the situation is well in hand.

RETURNING TO NORMAL

(Recd 2 p.m.) LONDON, August 12. The situation in India is easier, a considerable factor therein being the stern warnings by the Governor ol Bombay and other ' authorities that order would be maintained at any cost, which was coupled with impressive police and troop reinforcements to the tensest areas. To-day s death-roll in India is believed to be considerably below yesterdays. The aeath-rolll throughout India since the outbreak of the trouble is, at present, not oscertainable, but at least 61 arc dead. ' , . “The Times’s correspondent at New Delhi says: Accounts of the dis■orders should not be allowed to create the impression that 'lhe whole of India is in an uproar. The loss of life is insignificant in comparison with the death-rolls during communal riots. Railways continue working as does industry generally. The disorders were spontaneous local outbreaks rather than an organised national movement. “The Times’s” Bombay corres-

pondent reports that after the Governor’s warning the situation took a definite turn for the better. Trams and trams are fairly normal to-day. The mill area is quiet, and more mills are open. The “Telegraph”’ Bombay correspondent says: The improvement _ is partly attributable to the greatly increased . military patrols. Steelhelmeted patrols, with fixed bayonets, are posted in great strength m the mill area. Incidents, to-day, include the burning of three police stations ; and a bank and a city post office at Nagpur, whei<> the crowd also attempted to burn the power-house, and stoned the Administration buildings. A mob looted a Government grain shop at Bombay. The police at Delhi fired on a crowd which burst into the post office, threw stamps and postcards into the street, and attempted to set fire to them. The main shopping centre in Old Delhi is barricaded off. Banks and many shops are still closed. Troops are guarding all entrances to New Delhi, with a view to preventing the spread of trouble from the old city. " The British Labour Party and che Trades Union Congress issued a joint declaration expressing confidence jn the establishment of a free India after the war, disapproving of the attempt to organise the civil disobedience movement, and declaring that the Government of India’s action in detaining the Congress leaders was timely and unavoidable.

VIOLENCE CONDEMNED

LONDON, August 11. Congress Party speakers at a big meeting in New Delhi appealed for strict observance of non-violence. The “Hindustan Times,” which is edited by Mr. Gandhi’s son, condemns violence. It says: “Congress will not escape disgrace if violence continues.”