INDIAN AFFAIRS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17965, 10 March 1930, Page 7

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

GANDHI’S ULTIMATUM. HIS CHIEF ALLY ARRESTED. DEFIANCE OF THE LAW. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel.—Copyright. DELHI, March 8. Gandhi's ultimatum to the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, declares British rule to be a curse, " because it has impoverished dumb millions, by a system of progressive exploitaton and ruinous civil and military administration.” fi’he Nationalist leader acknowledges that the English arc no worse than oilier people. British statesmen, he says, have no intention of adopting a policy which might adversely aflcct Britain’s commerce with India, but by heavy taxation the British system is crushing the life out of the agriculturists, on whom the tax on salt fails the heaviest. Gandhi refers to the Administration as the costliest in the world. He says the Viceroy's salary is £52 10s a day against the average Indian’s income ol less than 2d a day. ’■ 1 know you do not need this salary,” says the ultimatum, “ and probably the whole of it goes in charity, hut the system deserves to he scrapped, as it is characteristic of the whole Administration. “Nothing hut unadulterated nonviolence can check the organised violence 'Of the British Government. I know that in embarking on my cam--paign l am taking a mad risk, but victories have never been won without risks. “ If we want to sever our connection with Britain it is because of such evils. But if they are removed the path will be opened to friendly negotiation.” Gandhi then enumerates the demands already stated, and ends: “It is open to you to frustrate my design by arresting me. But I hope that tens of -thousands of persons will take up the work after me. r fhis letter is not intended as a threat, hut is sent as a sacred duty” r Phe Nationalist leader’s chief ally, Vallabhai Patel, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment yesterday for disobeying a magistrate’s order not to address a public meeting. 11, is understood now that civil disobedience will he put into operation forthwith. Gandhi has appealed to the citizens to cease work as a protest against Hie imprisonment of Patel, whom he describes as the “ uncrowned King of Gujcrat.” The Congress party workers in Bengal are preparing to carry out the disobedience campaign and are busy organising a corps of national militia. On the eve of the coming into operation of the Act to restrain child marriages a report from Sergunj records the mariage of a girl three weeks old to a boy of two years. Both are low caste Hindus.