ARJUN ARORA Vs. EMPEROR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an appeal by Arjun Arora against his conviction and sentence under Section 124-A, Indian Penal Code. The charge against him was that by two speeches made by him at the same meeting on the evening of 13 September 1936 in the Tilak Hall, Cawnpore, he brought or attempted to bring into hatred and contempt and excited of attempted to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in British India. He has been sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment.

(2.) The essence of the crime of sedition consists in the intention with which the language is used. But this intention must be judged primarily by the language itself. It is, therefore, necessary to ascertain what was the intention of the appellant when he made the two speeches. The workers of Atherton West Mills had gone on strike. A meeting was held in the Tilak Hall on 13 September 1936 to pass a resolution of sympathy with the strike. The appellant moved an amendment to the resolution. The resolution which was to be passed was: This meeting of the citizens of Cawnpore, expresses its heartfelt sympathy with the strikers of the Atherton West Mills and urges upon the millowners to accept the reasonable demands of the workers and remove their troubles as soon as possible.

(3.) The amendment moved by the appellant was to change the words reasonable demands into the words demands formulated by the Strike Committee . He also wanted to add the following words to the resolution: And in order to make the strike of the labourers a grand success, this meeting appeala to the workers of the other mills to observe at once a general strike in Cawnpore.