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Ahmedabad, dec. 21.

Referring to Lord Ronaldshay’s speech at the Bengal Legislative Council on Monday last, Mr. Gandhi made the following statement:—

I have read Lord Ronaldshay’s speech in the Bengal Legislative Council. Whilst I appreciate the note of conciliation about it I cannot help saying that it is most misleading. I do not want to criticise those Parts of the speech which lend themselves to criticism. I simply want to say, that the present situation is entirely his own and the Viceroy’s doing. In spite of my strong desire to avoid suspecting the Government of India and the local Governments of a wish to precipitate a conflict with the people, up to now all that I have heard and read leads me to the conclusion that my suspicion is justified. Whilst I do not wish to deny the existence of some sort of pressure, even intimidation, on the part of individuals, I do wish emphatically to deny that in connection with the phenomenal “hartal” on the 17th November in Calcutta there was any intimidation initiated by or on behalf of the local Congress or the Khilfat Committee. On the contrary I