I am glad to have this opportunity of meeting you to-day, in formal
assembly, and to outline to you the policy of the Government.
My Government was accused some months ago of being repressive. I have
met that charge completely with facts and figures and proved that the
Government has acted with due patience in spite of deliberate and
repeated provocation. It has dealt with agitation under the ordinary law
and has maintained order and security with reasonable success. Of late
the agitators, whose openly avowed object is to make Government
impossible, have entered on a campaign of increased activity. Quite
recently the Government received reports from several quarters
foreshadowing lawlessness and disorder. The Collector of Meerut reported
that civil disobedience had been openly preached at the District
Congress at Garhmukhtesar, that cloth shops were picketed, that
agitation was plainly on the increase, and that everything looked like
working up to a climax at an early date. The Commissioner of Fyzabad
reported that the situation was menacing in the Bara Banki district
where the Deputy Commissioner could not appear without being hooted and
the loyal section of population were frightened and disheartened. A
speech was delivered in which the audience was asked by a political
fanatic whether they would agree to murder the Deputy Commissioner and
they replied with one voice that they would. The Commissioner also
reported that things were menacing in the Tanda sub-division of the
Fyzabad district. At Gonda regular volunteer corps had been instituted
with officers. From Cawnpore and Etawah reports came of a recrudescence
of criminal intimidation. In Ballia the people were asked to prepare
themselves for killing and being killed. Alarming reports were also
received from Saharanpur, Aligarh and Gorakhpur.
Now all these reports reached the Government within three or four days.
It was quite clear that we were on the verge of serious and widespread
trouble. The Government decided, and decided unanimously, to apply the
Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 1908, part II, to the whole province at
once and to issue instructions to Commissioners and District Officers to
take all measures under the law necessary for the preservation of order
and protection of loyal and peaceful citizens. This was followed by an
open defiance to the Government signed by over seventy individuals in
the _Independent_ newspaper. As you are aware the ringleaders have been
arrested. I do not propose to deal with individual cases; some of them
are still under trial. I will only say this, that all the reports I have
received from different parts of the province show that the action taken
has had excellent result and has restored confidence to loyal and
peaceful people. Indeed, there is a feeling of general relief. The
Commissioner of Fyazabad reports "There has been a great improvement
since I last wrote. The police who had resigned are now applying to be
taken back." The Commissioner of Agra writes "The present Government
policy appears to be generally welcomed." The Commissioner of Gorakhpur
says "There is no doubt that the moderate party not only welcome the
arrests but in some cases are jubilant over them." The Commissioner of
Meerut reports that the action taken had "been hailed by all loyal
persons with the greatest relief." He adds "our friends and the much
harried police are in much better hearts and non-co-operator is no
longer looked upon with dread by them." The Commissioner of Lucknow
attributes the settling down of the Hindu population and especially the
cultivating classes largely to the recent action of Government. A
re-assuring report has come from Aligarh. The situation is still
critical; but, I think, that it is well in hand, and I am convinced that
if a policy of firmness is pursued and pursued steadily for some time we
may reasonably hope to break the back of a conspiracy which openly avows
its intention of trying to do away with Government and openly defies the
law of the land.
Consider the position, gentlemen; What have the Congress and _Khilafat_
movements done? _Satyagraha_, which Mr. Gandhi himself pronounced to be
a "Himalayan blunder" ended in disgrace. The attempt to boycott colleges
and schools failed signally. It did not affect in this province one per
cent of the students and scholars. The attempt to boycott the law courts
was wholly unsuccessful. The appeal to surrender titles given by and
offices held under the Government fell on deaf ears. The efforts to
seduce soldiers and policemen were almost in vain. But with each
successive failure, they have sown wider the seeds of racial hatred and
the spirit of lawlessness. The results cry out against them and their
work. Their hands are dripping with innocent blood; and the cries of
ruined homes and ravished women have gone up to heaven. This is the end
of the idea of self-Government attained by non-violent revolution, an
idea wholly fantastic and chimerical.
As is usual when Government takes vigorous action, there is a body of
critics who have no experience or sense of government and who are
frightened by action. They seem to think that law and order keep
themselves. The truth is far otherwise. Law and order are mainly kept by
force, and that with difficulty. They are very easily upset. You have
had experience of disorder in southern Oudh, in which there was an orgy
of violence, rape, rapine and arson. I do not hesitate to tell you that
if the Government trifled with the present situation you would probably
soon find your lives, your property and your honour in danger. The
objection that action has been taken with warning is quite unfounded.
More than once I have publicly declared that this Government would not
tolerate disorder or intimidation. The aggressors are those who violate
the law.