§ 2. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Secretary of State for India whether he will give the House the latest information he has as to the conditions in India?
§ Mr. BENNI am circulating a statement giving an appreciation of the situation by the Government of India up to 31st May.
§ Mr. BROCKWAYIs it a fact that two special ordinances have been issued this week-end, one prohibiting the picketing of liquor shops and shops selling foreign goods?
§ Following is the statement:
§ Appreciation of the situation by the Government of India.
§ The following is an appreciation of the situation up to 31st May.
§ 1. Tribal situation remains much as before. Movements of small parties of Utam Khel continue to be reported, but up to date no considerable gathering has been observed near borders of Peshawar District and no overt act of hostility has occurred; Badshah Gul has now joined Haji of Turangzai near Ghalani in Gandab Valley; Air Force action has been continued at intervals against definitely located positions. Hostiles are reported to be very short of rations and several contingents have gone home; Haji has still failed to obtain any considerable accretion to his following from Mohmands and Hatimzai and Tarakzai continue to oppose him.
§ Afridis all quiet though some agitation reported in Tirah. Lashkar mentioned in last week's report has effected nothing.
§ North Waziristan; terms have been announced to Madda Khel Maliks detained in Miranshah fort who have asked permission to deposit fine required immediately in order that they may be released to control malcontents.
§ Mahsuds.—Lashkar of Shabi Khel and Kikarai of Shaktu has collected to attack Garrarias of Sigai village near Ladha who gave information leading to arrest of two Hindus suspected of carrying revolutionary propaganda to Kaniguram Jirga; ultimatum has been issued to Shabi Khel and Kikarai to vacate their villages as Government proposes to retaliate in any way it thinks fit if Sigai is molested; Lashkar has so far committed no hostile act either against Government or against friendly village of Sigai; attempt of Mahsud hostiles to secure support from Madda Khel Wazirs against Government has failed.
§ Wana Wazirs all quiet.
§ 2. Internal situation, Peshawar District has been less satisfactory during past week; on 26th May arrest of six persons from Takkar Village in Mardan Tehsil led to clash with police in which Assistant Superintendent of Police was killed; on 29th Takkar Village was 1740 surrounded by police and troops and 36 arrests were effected; fire was opened on cordon of troops by gathering from adjacent villages; Red Shirts still reported very active especially in Hashtnagar Tract of Charsadda Tahsil. Peshawar City is reported quiet and conditions gradually returning to normal. Kohat all quiet. Bannu: situation improved as a result of vigorous action taken against villages in neighbourhood of city; in city itself conditions gradually approaching normal. Increase of Congress activity is reported from Dera Ismail Khan; action has accordingly been taken under Criminal Law Amendment Act and Seditious Meetings Act. Inquiry committee consisting of two High Court Judges has been at work since 26th May recording evidence as to disturbances at Peshawar on 23rd April and measures taken to deal with them.
§ 3. In other parts of India the outstanding feature of the week has been local disorders at a number of places.
§ The most serious of these occurred at Rangoon, where, in consequence of ill-feeling arising out of the claims of Burmans and Indians respectively for employment, fighting broke out between the two communities and continued with great bitterness; it is not possible at present to state the casualties with completeness, but on the 13th of May it was reported that the deaths exceeded 100 and that the number of persons who have received hospital treatment was approximately 800; no ill-feeling has been shown towards police or Europeans; on the 30th, the situation appeared to be under control, but the atmosphere was still very tense; in order to relieve the situation by obtaining speedy settlement of the labour dispute Conciliation Board has been appointed under the Trades Disputes Act.
§ At Dacca, a trivial quarrel between schoolboys was the cause of serious disturbances between Hindus and Muhammadans; the trouble spread to some rural areas of the district, where incendiarism and looting have occurred; the latest reports show that the situation in Dacca itself is in hand and is improving elsewhere, but feeling is still high; a complete list of casualties and an estimate of the damage to property have not yet been received, but these may prove to be considerable.
1741§ The cause of the rioting at Lucknow was the persistent attempt of the Congress to take a procession through a part of the station in which processions had not previously been allowed, and were specifically forbidden on this occasion. On 25th May a procession which attempted to defy the order of prohibition had to be forcibly dispersed by the police; on the 26th May the Congress again threatened to bring out a procession, and troops were called out in aid of the civil power; as the situation appeared to be quiet troops were allowed to return to their barracks in the evening, but it is reported that almost immediately after their departure a dangerous mob attacked the police station and attempted to burn it down; a severe struggle at close quarters between them continued for some time, and the latter had to fire before the crowd dispersed; the situation was quickly brought under control, but precautionary measures have had to be taken to prevent a recrudescence of disorder.
§ On the night of the 26th May a clash occurred between the police and a Muhammadan crowd in Bombay as the result of an incident in which a sergeant of police and a Muhammadan were concerned; the police had to fire, and the situation during the night necessitated the calling out of troops; there was some recrudescence of trouble next day, but it was quickly brought under control; the troops were not called upon to fire.
§ On the 29th May, disorder occurred in the railway workshops at Lilloah, near Calcutta; the cause of the outbreak is at present uncertain; some damage to Government property was caused by incendiarism.
§ The police had to intervene at Delhi between two parties of labourers who had come to blows with one another.
§ Unlawful assemblies have had to be dispersed at Multan, Rawal Pindi and Jhelum, in the Punjab, and at Arcot and Vellore, in the Madras Presidency, but these affairs were not serious.
§ 4. Of the disturbances above mentioned, those at Dacca and Rangoon and Delhi did not originate in clashes between the authorities and the public, and this has to be remembered in assessing the 1742 significance of the events of the week; nevertheless there is no doubt that the defiance of the law, which the organisers of the Civil Disobedience Movement have sedulously propagated, is having effects beyond the scope of the movement itself, and is creating a disregard for order which tends increasingly to endanger the public peace and the maintenance of friendly relations between classes and communities.
§ 5. In the Bombay Presidency raids on Salt Works have been attempted on several occasions during the week, especially at Wadala, near Bombay, where the efforts of Congress Volunteers have become more forcible. A considerable strain has been placed on the police in carrying out arrests and in dispersing hostile crowds, but they have successfully prevented the volunteers attaining their objective; the position has been fairly quiet at Dharasana, where last week the Congress attempted to carry out a raid on a mass scale: the dispersal of the crowds and the seizure of the volunteer camps greatly relieved the situation, but during the past day or two there have been indications that further raids on a large scale will be attempted; there is no reason to apprehend that these will have any appreciable success. In Bombay City processions on a large scale and demonstrations have continued.
§ 6. The situation in Gujerat remains much the same, the boycott of public servants accompanied by attempts to coerce them to resign their posts has been more pronounced in several districts, and the campaign against payment of land revenue has shown signs of extending. The two Ordinances promulgated by the Governor-General on the 30th May will considerably strengthen the hands of the local authorities in dealing with these movements. The presence of troops in connection with the Dharasana raid has had a steadying effect in the Surat district. Several Provinces report definite signs of Congress activities in the direction of a no-tax campaign, but outside Gujerat there have so, far been few instances of actual refusal to pay on the part of the tax or revenue payers. The Unlawful Instigation Ordinance, promulgated on the 30th May, is intended to strike at the movement in its early stages by bringing within the provisions of the law those who instigate others to with 1743 hold the payment of public dues; it will be extended to different Provinces as necessity demands.
§ 7. The dissemination of false reports and rumours continues, but their effect appears to be rather less than a few weeks ago; the Congress programme of boycotting those newspapers which have not suspended publication is meeting with considerable opposition, and the Provincial Satyagraba Committee in the Punjab have been definitely warned by those likely to suffer from their activities that if attempts are made to picket newspaper offices the Satyagraha Office will be similarly picketed; the organisations for counter-propaganda and the publication of correct news are increasing in number and efficiency.
§ 8. The boycott of foreign goods shows signs of becoming more intense and the picketing of shops more widespread; on the other hand, opposition is growing to the methods of intimidation employed, and in some places the victims are beginning to combine. The Prevention of Intimidation Ordinance will enable the authorities to give more prompt and effective protection.
§ 9. A significant feature of the past week has been the organisation and expression of Mohammedan political aspirations; a meeting of Mohammedan leaders is shortly to be held in Allahabad. In Calcutta the Muslim community is in revolt against the Corporation, whose administration they contend is conducted in favour of Hindu and Congress interests, and in the Punjab Muslim opinion is finding expression in representations to His Excellency the Viceroy and deputations to His Excellency the Governor. Generally, the community is preparing for the practical work which will follow the Report of the Statutory Commission, and is determined that its claims shall not go by default. There are some indications that the Sikhs also are realising the importance to minor communities of a clear presentation of their case.
§ 12. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Secretary of State for India whether the lashkars of the Haji of Turanzai and of his son Badshah Gul are in British or in tribal territory; what is their distance from Peshawar; and on how many occasions have they been bombed, and with what result?
§ Mr. BENNThe lashkars referred to by the hon. and gallant Member are in tribal territory and about 20 miles from Peshawar City. My latest information as to the position in this neighbourhood and action taken will be found in the situation report which is being circulated to-day.
§ Sir A. KNOXAs bombing by aeroplane does not seem to have had any marked effect, would it not be possible to take other action to move these people out?
§ Mr. THURTLEDo we understand that these tribesmen are at present on their own territory?