UNREST IN INDIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18953, 29 August 1923, Page 7

UNREST IN INDIA

THE RELIGIOUS RIOTS. HEAVY CASUALTY LIST. Prao» Association—By T«!egrapH—Copyright DELHI,. August 27. (Received Aug. 28, at 8.5 p.m.) It is reported that six persons were killed and 165 were wounded during the rioting at various pleaces between the Hindus and the Mohammedans in connection with the celebration of the Maiharram Mohammedan festival. The police were compelled to fire in several instances before order could be restored. —A. and N.Z. Cable. There is serious friction once more between Hindu and Moslem in India, wrote the Simla correspondent of tho Daily Telegraph last month. Presiding at the Punjab Moslem Educational Conference in Lahore (Punjab) Yusuf AU said: “I regrot that the gulf is widening between the two great communities of India,” Relerring to the question of the t supposed conflict between Indian nationality and religion, he said that, in his view, there was no real conflict. Nevertheless, tho events which have occurred during the past two years show that, when their religion is at stake, Hindu and Moslem alike think more ol their religion than of their Indian nationality. The City of Multan, in the north-west for instance, has been torn with dissension for many months past, while another controversy is now raging in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh over the conversion to Hinduism of the Malakana Rajputs, a sect which, though traditionally Hindu, had been converted to Islam many genera tions ago. The incident was the signal for a violent outburst of recrimination between the two communities.

There is every indication that the next general election will be very keenly contested, stated the Times of India recently. In Bengal the fight will be triangular. It is expected that Mr C. R. Das will be the central figure in a large number of extremist candidates, with “mend or end the Councils” as their slogan. The second party comists of “Independent Liberals, ' of whom Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, the recently deposed aiutooraU of Calcutta University, is the probable leader. Last in energetic preparation comes the party now in power in the Legislative Council, who express confidence in holding their own against the new forces; though a strong extremist indipendent opposition is regarded as likely. INDIAN AGITATORS. LEADERS TO BE RELEASED. SIMLA, August 17. Lajpat Rai, the Indian Nationalist leader, was released from gaol this morning. He was imprisoned for the part he took in leading Gandhi’s non co-operation campaign in the Punjab, but has been released before the expiry of his term, owing to his continued illness, which is suspected to be tuberculosis. Indian opinion has been pressing for his release, which the Government promised ,to consider if medical opinion so advised. When the impending release of the Ali brothers, the extremist Khilafat leaders, is ordered practically all the_ prominent non-co-operators except Gandhi, will be out of gaol. Interest is accordingly being directed to the special congress of non-co-operators which will be held nt Delhi on September 11 to decide the question of participation in the' general election, and to map out a programme of resistance.