HC Deb 31 March 1890 vol 343 cc282-3
MR BRADLAUGH (Northampton)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a letter of the Bishop? Designate of Durham, published in theTimes of 26th March, respecting the. Cambridge Mission to Delhi, in which it, is stated that "This work was undertaken at the suggestion of the Indian Government, who have given the site; "and whether this statement is accurate; and, if so, whether this is a departure from the traditional British policy in India of strict neutrality in religious matters?

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir J. GORST,) Chatham

In reply to the hon. Gentleman, I have to say that the "work" referred to by the Bishop Designate of Durham is St. Stephen's College, Delhi—an educational establishment of the Cambridge Mission. It has always been the practice of the Government of India to make grants in aid to all institutions calculated to promote the education of the people, and this practice has not been found to interfere with the religious freedom which the British Government guarantees.