§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNE (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will give the House the latest information in regard to the rioting in Bombay?
§ Earl WINTERTONThe latest official information in my Noble Friend's possession is derived from telegraphic reports from the Government of India which are too long to read to the House, and I propose therefore, with my hon. Friend's permission, to circulate the substance of them, most of which has already appeared in the Press, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The salient facts are, however, as follow:
A general strike in the Bombay mills was declared on the 26th April. On the 1st May there were several attacks on workers by strikers, but the fact that most of the strikers were Hindus and most of the non-strikers Mohammedans indicated a risk of the development of communal trouble, especially as there had been a serious communal disturbance on the 27th April apparently unconnected with the strike. Communal riot- 1936 ing spread from the mill areas to the central parts of Bombay and continued on the 2nd and 3rd May, and at 4.30 p.m. on the latter date 200 rifles of the Warwickshire Regiment were called out, and on the following day the military posts were strengthened as the sporadic attacks were continued. The police have been reinforced by armed police and further military support; a curfew Order and an Order prohibiting the assembly of more than five persons were put into force on Saturday, and the Bombay Government now regard the situation as on the whole quiet, and the forces on the spot at present adequate. The Home Member of the Governor's Executive Council has been in the city since the outbreak of trouble, and the Governor himself left for Bombay on the 3rd. The casualties reported up to the present amount to eight persons killed and 108 injured.
§ Following is the statement:
§ On 26th April one of the Bombay mill workers' unions declared a general strike as from noon on that day. The workers in most of the mills came out accordingly at their midday recess, though the mills not affected by the strike continued working throughout the week. Attempts were made to prevent non-strikers, who were mostly Mohammedans, from working, and on the 1st May some Moslem workers in the textile mills were stoned and on the same day the strikers, armed with sticks, attacked mill workers on their way home in the evening, but on both occasions the police succeeded in preventing a riot. At 7 o'clock in the evening of the same day, 1st May, a band of 500 strikers entered the compound of the Century Mill and assaulted watchmen and workers employed at the mill. Two workers of the Spring Mill were stoned on the same day. In spite of these incidents the strike was on the whole conducted peacefully and the leaders reiterated their intention of avoiding violence.
§ The fact, however, that most of the strikers were Hindus and most of the non-strikers Mohammedans, from the first indicated a grave risk of the development of communal trouble, especially as there had been a serious fracas on 27th April between Moslems and Hindus, apparently unconnected with the strike, arising from a Hindu procession 1937 passing a Moslem Mosque which had resulted in two deaths and injuries to 19 persons.
§ During the 2nd of May the trouble spread beyond the mill areas to more central parts of the city, where some excitement was caused amongst the Moslems by a Moslem being hit, perhaps accidentally, by a bottle. After that Moslem rowdies unconnected with the mills began assaulting Hindus near the Bhendy bazaar and Chinch Bunder areas. By midnight on the 3rd May 12 Hindus were in hospital injured as a result of these assaults. At 11.30 p.m. on the 2nd May a number of Mohammedans were dispersed when about to attack each other but there were two more assaults, one grave, on Hindus in the early morning of the 3rd May. On the afternoon of that day serious rioting broke out at 2.30, in the course of which eight persons were killed and 108 injured. From this time onwards stray assaults were reported. At 4.30 p.m., 200 rifles of the Warwickshire Regiment were called in and posted at strategic points. During that night some chawls at Naigaum, mainly occupied by strikers, were raided on account of the stoning from there of passing Mohammedans and 220 persons were arrested. Sticks, stones and iron bars were found here. At Chinchpogli the military had to resort to the use of bayonets as their pickets had been stoned. Sporadic attacks continued on the 4th, Saturday, and military posts were strengthened. A further detachment of the Warwickshire Regiment arrived from Deolali at 8.15 a.m. on the 4th, and the 3/9th Jats arrived from Santa Cruz at 7.15 a.m. A curfew order was put into force and an order prohibiting the assembling of more than five persons.
§ The Bombay Government report that on Saturday the situation on the whole was quiet. The police have been reinforced by armed police from the district and by further military reinforcements, and they regard the police force on the spot as now ample, though warnings have been given for more to be ready should the situation deteriorate.
§ I should add that the Home Member of the Governor's Executive Council was in Bombay continuously since the outbreak of the trouble, and that the Governor himself left for Bombay on the morning of the 3rd.