16th February 1922 | Kanaighat was dispersing forbidden meeting when Sylhet. | a large body of Lathials attacked the Police | from behind. Armed Police turned to meet them | when in spite of warning they came right on | Commissioner who was hit on head by clods of | earth and was narrowly missed with lathies. He | called on the police to fire; several rounds | were fired, resulting in about 8 casualties. As | soon as firing stopped men swarmed back in | great numbers. Police force then returned to | thana. One rifle was lost. It is reported that | reinforcements from Auxiliary Force stationed | at Sylhet and Karimganj are proceeding to spot. | | Three police constables killed and three | wounded. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX XXIII The Honourable Sir William Vincent's Speech at the Legislative Assembly, 18th January 1922 I say, Sir, from that time we have always avoided systematically and steadily any excessive severity _vis a vis_ this movement. Later, there were a number of seditious speeches, including incitements to violence, particularly by Mr. Muhammad Ali and his brother, and Government were prepared to take action against them. What ensued is well known to the Members of this Assembly. There were meetings between Mr. Gandhi and His Excellency, and later Muhammad Ali and his brother offered to the public certain undertakings on which the Government withdrew the prosecutions against them. In a letter of June, 1921, addressed to Local Governments after this undertaking we indeed expressed some hope that it might be possible to reduce the number of prosecutions. We were anxious not to force the pace and although we always maintained our determination to keep order, we sought to avoid over-drastic action against the less dangerous or less violent adherents of the movement. At the same time we indicated to Local Governments that they were not to prosecute persons, the prosecution of whom might have great effect outside the province, without consulting the Government of India. In that letter, further, we invited Local Governments to give certain other convicted persons the same _locus poenitentiae_ which had been given to Muhammad Ali and his brother. We have throughout avoided very carefully any suggestion, any action which might create the impression that we desire to interfere with a legitimate political movement. I defy any Member of this Assembly to say otherwise. We have indeed frequently been reproached with weakness on this account. I maintain that it was not weakness but patience.