§ 31. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the statement made by Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose, the town clerk of Calcutta, that agents provocateur have been employed by the police for artificially creating a revolutionary movement; and whether he will cause a full inquiry to be made into these allegations?
§ Earl WINTERTONI have not seen any statement to this effect by Mr. Bose, but the allegation is not infrequently made. My Noble Friend sees no necessity to make inquiries as to the existence of a state of affairs which could not possibly, had it existed, have escaped the knowledge of the Bengal Government and the Government of India.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIn view of the position held by Mr. Bose, does not the Noble Lord think that so serious a statement as this made by so responsible a person should he investigated?
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, Sir. As I have said before to the hon. Gentleman, I cannot have regard to the position held by any person who has been in prison. People who have been in prison are in the habit of making all sorts of accusations. Whatever their previous position has been has no, bearing on the subject.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the Noble Lord aware that this gentleman is the mayor-elect of his city, and therefore is considered a responsible person, and that the statements he makes are very categorical? Under these circumstances, ought they not to be investigated? May I also ask the Noble Lord since when it has been detrimental to any man's character that he should be a political offender and thrown into prison by a Government that happens to disagree with him?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question is very argumentative.