POSITION IN INDIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 11

POSITION IN INDIA

THE ARREST OF MR GANDHI. STRICT SECRECY OBSERVED. FOLLOWERS OUT OF CONTROL. (United Frees Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) DELHI, May 5. Mr Gandhi was arrested at his camp at Kavadi, near Jalalpore, under conditurns of the strictest secrecy, by Euro pean police officers, the district magistrate, and a force of armed police. He was placed on theGujerat mail, and the train stopped at Borivili, a small station 30 miles from Bombay. Mr Gandhi was taken out ami placed in a high-powered car and driven to the Yervada Central Prison at Poona.

The Bombay Government, in making a statement about his arrest, said that Mr Gandhi's campaign had resulted in grave disturbances throughout India, and while he deplored the outbreaks he was no longer able to control his followers. The Government had pursued a policy of toleration, even at the risk of an accusation of weakness, but the .events had shown that the history of the earlier non-co-operation movement would repeat itself if the Gandhi campaign was allowed to he continued unchecked. The Government of Bombay, after being in consultation with the’ Government of India, had therefore decided that it was impossible to allow Mr Gandhi to remain at large without grave dangers -to the tranquillity of India. As a sequel to the lawlessness prevalent at Peshawar since the recent rioting, and the activities of agitators in fomenting trouble' among the frontier tribesmen, a great military demonstration of all arms, including the Air Force, took place when at dawn British troops occupied the city with the object of restoring order. The troops will remain in the city for two months. ' DISAFFECTED TROOPS. WITHDRAWN FROM PESHAWAR. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 5. In the House of Commons, Captaih Wedgwood Benn (Secretary for India) confirmed the report of the arrest of Mr Gandhi. He said he was informed that at Peshawar, where the conditions had been difficult since the riots of April 23, the authorities were in complete control of the. situation. The Peshawar district had been declared a proclaimed area under the Seditious Meetings Act. Asked whether the disaffection of certain Indian troops,at Peshawar last week was an isolated action. Captain Benn answered that there had been no sign of any similar incidents elsewhere, and the regiment, which had been withdrawn, had been replaced by a Ghurka regiment. Replying to a further question, he said that on April 1 the strength of the British forces in India was approximately 59,700, and the establishment was 55,915.