UNREST IN INDIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18444, 4 January 1922, Page 5

UNREST IN INDIA

AHMEDABAD CONFERENCE. A TONE OF VIOLENCE. DEMAND FOR A REPUBLIC. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, DELHI, January 1. The whole tone of the conference at Ahmedabad was one of violence. Though the slogan of non-violence entered ihto all the resolutions, it is generally recognised thit non-violence is merelv a method of taking cover for seditious activities. A majority of Mr Gandhi’s followers are composed of ignorant, (uncontrolled masses, who merely see in Air Qapdhi’s creed the means of upsetting the established law and order. Resolutions were passed by the congress to disobey all Government orders, to encourage everyone to follow this lead, and to provide an extensive Recruiting campaign for proscribed volunteers, whose main duty shall be to intimidate others. This is bound to load to disorders. Following the extremist conference came a conference of the All-India Moslem League, which is also composed of nonviolence extremists. The president (Hazrat Mohani) called upon Mr Gandhi ! to declare an Indian Republic on January 1, to be called the United States of’lndia, to' be attained' by all possible means, including guerrilla warfare should martial law be proclaimed.—A. and N.Z. Cable. . In addressing the All-India Moslem Congress, at which Mr Gandhi and other prominent extremists were present, the ■president (Qazrat Mohani), in urging the proclamation of an Indian Republic, said that they shbuld have their own armies dnd their own Parliament. He admitted that such a Government could not be maintained by peaceful means. He believed 'that when the Indian Government had recourse to military measures the move ment could not remain non-violent, therefore he favoured the removal of non-vio-lence limitations, because the people could not stand repression without retaliation. Mohani assured the Hindus that their fears of what might happen under a free India Were groundless, because India -belonged equally to the Hindus and' the "Moslems, and the Moslems would stand by the Hindus to the last for/tho attainment of independence.—Reuter.