ANTI-BRITISH CAMPAIGN

Grey River Argus, 14 February 1946, Page 5

ANTI-BRITISH CAMPAIGN

IN INDIAN MAIN CITIES Police Shoot Many Down CALCUTTA. February 12. Three Indians were injui '® d ’ seriously, when police foi - time opened fire in trying to perse a crowd in the Tharzrapark Si. south Calcutta. The crowd countered with stones and bi ickbats. Fifteen police were injured. Other clashes occurred in Biio - anipore area, and in n° rt hern Ca - cutta where crowds forced Euio peans out of vehicles and made them shout “Jai Hind” (Victory of India), the slogan of the Indian National Army. , A Moslem leader, Suhrawaray, last night conferred with Mr. Casey for two hours and warned him that he could not assure a maintenance of order unless Mr. Casey withdrew the police from the streets. Mr. Casey declined. Mr. Casey announced he had asked the Army to come to the assistance of the civil powers with a view to restoring order in Calcutta. Mr. Casey has proclaimed martial law in Bengal Province. Moslem demonstrators showed marked hostility towards the Americans. Demonstrators shouted: “America is helping the Jews.” A large convoy carrying home-bound American soldiers had to force their way through the streets to an aerodrome protected by pickets of steel-helmet-ed “Snowdrops,” carrying Tommyguns. A party of American Red Cross girls were held up outside the railway station, after which all Red Cross workers were confined to their quarters. Crowds cleared passages through road-blocks to permit cars flying Moslem League flags to pass. ‘a United States Ail’ Force lieutenant was attacked by the crowd* and suffered a fractured arm.

Calcutta was placed out of bounds for American troops, three of whom were slightly injured yesterday. Calcutta police, for the first time, in their history were patrolling the streets with bayonets. They were compelled to open fire in 13 incidents during the last 19 hours. The police, three times fired on mobs in Calcutta. In demonstrations lasting all day against the sentence passed on Captain Abdul Rashid, mobs burnt 13 military lorries and jeeps, one person was killed and 30 injured, including 10 with bullet wounds. In Bombay traffic was paralysed by Moslem crowds demonstrating against the sentence passed on Captain Rashid. The crowds yelled slogans demanding his immediate release. They forced all vehicles to halt, and compelled the passengers to get out and walk. The Moslem League has sent a message to General Auehinleck demanding the release of Captain Rashid. A Government spokesman told the General Assembly that reports from headquarters were to the effect that Lord Mountbatten and General MacArthur had confirmed the death of Subhas Chandra Bose from injuries after a ’plane crash at Taihou on August 18, 1945. (Rec. 7.15.) LONDON, Feb. 13. The situation in Calcutta at midnight was quiet. There then were armoured cars, equipped with searchlights, patrolling the business district in north Calcutta. Armed pickets are guarding other disturbed areas, says a Reuter correspondent. The rioters, earlier, set fire to the South, Calcutta tram depot, burning nine trams. They also set fire to a post office and a number of military vehicles. • The demonstrators attacked a lorry equipped with loud-speakers, through which Congress Party and Moslem League officials were appealing for order. It is known that yesterday six people were killed and forty injured by police fire in Calcutta. A brother of Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarat Chandra Bose, issued a statement appealing to the citizens to disown unruly elements, but blaming the police for inflaming the situation. He alleged that most of the police victims are suffering from abdominal wounds, thus proving that the police were determined to shoot well. A “Daily Mail” correspondent says: Fifteen were killed and fiftythree were injured in Calcutta yesterday. American military police went into action with tear gas against hundreds of rioters, who were setting fire to military vehicles. F'olice suffered high casualties, including senior officers. Eighteen American soldiers were wounded dr injured.

Moslems Ready TO FIGHT BRITISH FOR SELF GOVERNMENT (Rec. 10.50) NEW YORK, Feb. 13 A Moslem revolt, if the British carried out there announced intention of calling a single constitutionmaking body for a free but unified India was predicted’ by Dr. Jinnah, Moslem leader, in an interview with the New York “Times” New Delhi correspondent. Dr. Jinnah declared that the Moslems are willing to fight if the British fail to proviue~'for “Pakistan” which would constitute a sovereign Moslem state, covering six northern Indian provinces, from •Baluchistan to Assam. The correspondent says: This demand goes further than anything previously asked by 'the Moslem League, since the provinces mentioned constitute the most highly developed and' most populous part of India, with the- major agricultural production, and heavy industry anci the greatest port. < Dr. Jinnah added: “It is up to the British to make the right move. If they don’t, God help us! The only course open is for the British to concede Pakistan. Then we can proceed to a demarcation of boundaries between Pakistan and Hindustan and the two Indian nations can establish their own constitutional assemblies and make their own treaties.” (Rec. 7.20.) LONDON. Feb. 13. Mr. Gandhi stated he advised Lord Wavell to form a new National Government in India of elected members of the Central Legislative Assembly, irrespective of party, to meet the food and clothing crisis. An Associated Press Bombay correspondent said the suggestion was made in response to Lord Wavell’s appeal to Mr. Gandhi for co-opera-

tion. Mr. Gandhi said: “If the mercantile community and administration become honest, we Indians__can just tide over our difficulties,-even if no help comes from the outside world, which is itself groaning.” Dr. Azad, National Leader, is going from Calcutta to Delhi to discuss the food situation with Lord Wavell.