SEDITION IN INDIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 24 August 1907, Page 3

SEDITION IN INDIA.

Rcuter's special correspondent, writing from Calcutta on July 3, says:—"After three recent tours in the most disaffected districts of Bengal X am able to my. definitely that the serious nature of the situation is liadly realised by Eurosituation is hardly realised by EuroHowe.

"Whereas a few years ago such discontent as existed was confined to a few pleaders and clerks, the disaffection has now spread not only among the landholders and Bfengal aristocracy, but among the peasants and coolies. "I interviewed many Europeans, both official and non-official, and the misi sionarlcs in various centres, and ali agreed that the disaffection was the result of a campaign of sedition directed from Calcutta, the agencies employed being not only the press and the platform, but the active organisation known as the National Volunteers, which lias local branches iu almost every town and village. "These volunteers are being trained in archery and in the use of sticks and swords by well-paid professional instructors. They preach everywhere revolt against the aj, and actively push a boycott, terrorising those using or selling British goods. Men who cannot be threatened and still maintain relations with the English officials are punished by means of a social boycott, which is the deadliest weapon that can be employed against a Hindu.

'•Hundreds of tales of lawlessness and oppression on the part of the National Volunteers come from every district. The rural police are too weak, and, in some cases, too disaffected themselves to take action. "The Government has exhausted its reserve of police, and borrowed companies of Ghoorkas from Assam, and military I police from other provinces. These are posted in small batches in the larger villages and at the river stations, but they are unable to prevent the persecution of the loyalists. ! "The worst feature of the situation, however, is the growing number of assaults upon Europeans. Eecently fifteen assaults have taken place on the As-sam-Bengal railway alone. One guard had iiis skull fractured, another had an eye put out. The first and seeond-clasa carriages, containing European passengers, are nightly pelted with stones.

"I found Europeans going about armed with revolvers, and European passengers carrying shot-guns across their knees in the train. Ladies are afraid to travel on the Assam-Bengal railway. "A traffic officer informed me that there was a danger of certain sections of the Assam-Bengal railway being entirely closed, owing to the reluctance of the guards and drivers to take the trains. On one occasion no fewer than fifteen guards refused to work a train. "Mahommedists in charge of the river steamers have been assaulted, both from the banks and on the steamers, times without number. In one case some Bengali passengers destroyed the cabin fittings on board a steamer, and, in three other instances, the steamship Company's European officers were assaulted. "The last case was of a particularly daring nature, because all the mob wore the distinguishing badge of the National Volunteers.

"The impression is gaining strength that firearms are filtering from Calcutta anil Chnndernagore into Eastern Bengal. With regard to the Chandernagore tiaffie. the Government of India is already in treaty with the Government of French India. Tie Calcutta police are also making very strict enquiries, and have already discovered two stores of arms, one in a bazaar, almost within a stone's throw of the central police station. It was reported to-day that the central police station itself had been visited, and a quantity of revolver ammunition stolen. Guns atul revolvers have also been stolen from the houses of Calcutta European residents. It is a significant fact that in the recent riots i'.t •Tamalpur and Ct-miUa firearms were employed. "Another feature of the present situation is tliat all over Bengal national schools, financed entirely by Bengalis, and disclaiming all connection with the Government, are springing up. Moreover, in Calcutta the students of the Government-aided colleges arc openly defying the recent Government circular prohibiting students from attending political meetings but implorGUf-a As litieal meetings. The students not only address meetings but implore llic reporters to mention their names in the newspapers."