§ MR. O'GRADY (Leeds, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to a letter of Mr. Abdul Rasul, a prominent Mahomedan, read at a meeting in Calcutta on 15th October, in which the partition of Bengal was described as a curse to the entire Mahomedan population of Bengal, also asserting that the Mahomedans forming the greatest portion of the population of Bengal will have to Pay the largest amount of taxes to keep up the dignity of an alien bureaucracy; whether his attention has been called to the fact that at Sirajganj a notice was served upon a well-known Mahomedan preacher to show cause why he should not be bound down from appealing to his co-religionists not to take part in the meetings organised to rejoice at the act of partition; and, if so, whether the (Secretary of State, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, is prepared to give consideration to the opinions expressed by adherents to both the Hindu and Mahomedan religions regarding the partition.
§ * MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that mass meetings of Mahomedans, Hindoos, and native Christians have been held in favour of the partition, and that the masses of the people are totally opposed to this agitation?
§ MR. O'GRADYIs it in order for an hon. Member to try and put a reply in a Minister's mouth?
§ * MR. JOHN ELLISThe Secretary of State is not acquainted with cases to which my honourable friend refers; but he need not say that he is, always has been, and could not he other than, ready to give consideration equally to the opinions expressed by Hindoos and by Mahomedans.