GRAVE UNREST IN INDIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 18764, 31 December 1930, Page 9

GRAVE UNREST IN INDIA.

Lawless Elements Active. CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE SPREADS. British Official Wlre’ess RUGBY, December 29. The Government of India, in its weekly appreciation, says that the reports received from the provincial Governments for the first half of December show in most of the provinces attempts to intensify the various activities of the civil disobedience movement. Bengal records revived activity in Calcutta, including picketing, and also in the Hoogli district, but in other districts there has been no change of importance In the United Provinces there have been several cases of violence, but otherwise the situation has shown little change. In the Punjab there has been no particular change. In the Sikh province the situation and attempts to revive the agitation and picketing are not serious in extent. Revived activity has been particularly marked in Bihar and Orissa, where in several districts there has been a general increase of interest in the civil disobedience movement, which has taken the form of picketing. the circulation of false rumours calculated to increase excitement and unrest, and the encouragement of the non-payment of taxes. There were several instances of violent resistance to the police. The situation in Madras continues very satisfactory, and in the Central Provinces and Assam attempts to revive enthusiasm met with little? success. On December 23 the Governor-Gen eral promulgated two ordinances providing for the better control of the Press and the prevention of instigation to refuse the lay-out of certain liabilities- The rpasens necessitating this action were given by the Gover-nor-General in a statement on the promulgation of the ordinances, but It may be mentioned that the deterioration in the tone of the Press has been very rapid, and there has been a very definite intensification of the “no tax” campaign, especially in the United Provinces.

Bombay City has been comparatively quiet during the week ended Saturday last. Reports from Guyerat show that there is still considerable migration from British territory to that of adjacent Indian States, which is partly due to organised intimidations. The attempt at Lahore to assassinate the Governor of the Punjab has caused great resentment among all classes in the Punjab and Lahore, and meetings have expressed condemnation of the terrorist movement.