INDIAN CRISIS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1930, Page 5

INDIAN CRISIS

GANDHI’S ARREST COMING

fUnited Press Association.—By Electric

Telegraph.—Copyright.]

LONDON, May 1

It is reported that Cabinet has consented to the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi in the event of the Viceroy oi India considering it necessary. Gandhi’s arrest is regarded' as imminent.

“ So long as the law is openly defied, neither the Viceroy nor the Government can do anything but* resist its subversion by whatever means that may he in their power.”

This reiteration of the Government’s policy in dealing with the civil disobedience movement is contained in a letter from the Viceroy to Mr Mahomed All, a prominent Moslem leader, who sent a telegram to the Viceroy suggesting that a. renpproachment might be sought to bring about . a peace honourable to both the Government and Gandhi. Mahomed had 'appealed to the Viceroy not to premit the situation to become graver by the arrest of Gandhi, as both Gandhi and the Government had made a sufficient demonstration of their strength. The Viceroy’s repjv reminds Ali where the responsibility lies for th» present situation, and concludes with a statement that the policy of the Government in regard to the solution of India’s difficulties, remain unchanged. Devidas. son of Gandhi, has been sentenced to one year’s rigorous imorisonment at New Delhi, qu a charge of sedition. The movement for the boycott of British cloth is intensifying throughout India, and the Hindi-i cloth dealers m Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, and the other principal cities have decided not to place any further orders till the end "of this year. The action of the Nationalist volunteers in picketing the cloth shops, and in preventing the sale of British go'xls. ’s creating dissatisfaction among Moslem dealers, most of whom are exposed to a boycott The Amristnr Traders’ Arbitration Board considered the situation arising out of the boycott, and passed a resolution, which was sent to the Viceroy, drawing his attention to the fact that the merchants were repudiating contracts. Others are panic stricken on Account of the severe local trade depression.