§ 1. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Secretary of State for India whether he 528 will give the House the latest information he has as to the political situation in India?
§ 8. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for India whether he will make a statement in regard to the political situation in India?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Sir Samuel Hoare)I am circulating a statement covering the events of the past week.
§ Following is the statement:
§ In connection with National week, which is being celebrated from the 6th to 13th April, attempts are being made to carry out an intensive programme, especially of boycott and picketing, but reports show that the effect so far has been slight. To this new effort may be attributed slightly increased picketing in Bombay and rowdyism in the Cawnpore cloth markets and in Allahabad where a considerable disturbance occurred on the evening of the 8th April, commencing with an attempt by a Congress procession to enter the Civil lines. During the dispersal of the procession and crowd the police were assailed with stones and brickbats for some hours, and suffered several casualties. Two rounds of buckshot were fired, but the resulting casualties are unknown.
§ The reports from the North-West Frontier Province are good. It is particularly satisfactory that the elections have so far evoked very feeble counter-efforts from the Red Shirts and that wide interest is being taken in them. The tribal position is very satisfactory.
§ During the week Congress announced their intention of holding the annual session at Delhi and were informed that Government will not grant permission.
§ The Kashmir situation is much easier.