Mr. Gandhi was arrested in Bombay early this morning, along with the President of Congress. He had planned to make a train journey, and the police proposed to arrest him at a quiet wayside station some distance from Bombay, but Mr. Gandhi suddenly altered his arrangements, and the police plans were consequently upset, causing them to arrest him in Bombay.
On Saturday the Viceroy had returned to Delhi, consulted his Ministers, and replied to Mr. Gandhi╒s last statement in a message which confirms all he said before. The Viceroy stated that the Government will take all necessary measures.
Mr. Gandhi describes the reply as ╥error on error╙ and says that the Viceroy has closed the door on his hopes of peace.
On Saturday Mr. Lansbury cabled to the Viceroy urging him to meet Gandhi to discuss the ordinances.
SCENES AT GANDHI╒S ARREST
Bombay, Monday Morning.
Gandhi was arrested at three o╒clock this morning at his Bombay residence, Manibhuwan, the police having arrived only a few moments previously. The actual arrest was carried out by the Police Commission, Mr. Wilson, who was accompanied by the deputy Commissioner, Khan Bahadur Pettigara, and four other officers.
As soon as the police was sighted there was a flutter, and everybody tried to secure access to Gandhi╒s tent, but they were promptly prevented. Gandhi was immediately awakened, and as he was observing his usual silence when he saw the Police Commissioner he simply smiled at him. The Police Commissioner immediately handed over the warrant for his arrest to Gandhi, who, after quickly reading it through, handed it back again.
The warrant for Gandhi╒s arrest merely says that he is being arrested ╥for good and sufficient reasons.╙
Then followed some very touching scenes of farewell in which all the members of Gandhi╒s ashram participated. The Commissioner allowed Mr. Gandhi half an hour in which to exchange parting greetings with his followers. Quick telephone calls were put through to as many places as possible to warn Congressmen who proposed to visit Manibhuwan to confer with their leader before his arrest.
Except for the party of six police officials there were no other policemen at Manibhuwan at the time of the arrest, but immediately after the arrest had been effected batches of policemen armed with lathis sprang up at all important crossroads with a view to preventing all demonstrations or untoward incidents.
Most of the women of Gandhi╒s party wept bitterly as he left, whilst his wife, also in tears, begged the Police Commissioner to take her away with her husband. Gandhi himself, however, appeared to be in the best of spirits, his face being wreathed in smiles. A doctor is accompanying Gandhi to Yerwada Gaol.
A few minutes before being taken away Gandhi wrote the following message to the Congress President, Vallabhai Patel, of whose arrest he was then in ignorance:
╥Dear Vallabhai ╤ Infinite is God╒s mercy. Please tell the people never to swerve from the truth and non-violence, and never to flinch to give their lives and all to win Swaraj.╙
