IMPRISONMENT OF GANDHI

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1930, Page 9

IMPRISONMENT OF GANDHI

STRICT SECRECY OBSERVED FOLLOWERS OUT OF CONTROL TROOPS OCCUPY PESHAWAR By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Delhi, May o. Gandhi was arrested at his camp at Karadi, near Jalalpore, under conditions of the strictest secrecy, by European police officers, the district magistrate and a force of armed police. He was placed on the Gujerat mail and the train stopped at Borivili, a small station 30 miles from Bombay. Gandhi was taken out and placed in a high powered car and driven to the Yervada central prison at Poona. The Bombay Government, making a statement on the arrest, says that Gandhi’s campaign resulted in grave disturbances throughout India and while he deplored the outbreaks he is no longer able to control his followers. The Government has pursued a policy of toleration, even at the risk of an accusation of weakness, but events ha re shown that the history of the earlier non-co-operation movement would repeat itself if Gandhi’s campaign was allowed to be continued.

The Government of Bombay, after being in consultation with the Government of India, therefore decided that it was impossible to tllow Gandhi to remain at large without grave dangers to the tranquility of India. ~ As a sequel to the lawlessness prevalent at Peshawar since the recent rioting, and the activities of agitators 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. CONTROL OF SITUATION. QUESTIONS ASKED IN COMMONS. British Wireless. Rugby, May 5. In the House of Commons, Captain ■Wedgwood Benn, Secretary for India, confirmed the arrest of Gandhi. He said he was informed that at Peshawar, where conditions had been difficult since the riots of April 23, the authorities were in complete control of the situation. Peshawar district 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isolated action, Captain Benn answered that there had been no sign of any similar incidents elsewhere, and the regiment withdrawn had been replaced by a Ghurka regiment. Replying to a further question, he said that on April I the strength of the British forces .in India, was approximately 59,709.