§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSON (Northumberland, Tyneside)To ask the Secretary of State for India if he will state how many Indian newspapers, in English and vernacular, have been prosecuted under the sedition clauses of the Indian Penal Code since the beginning of 1907; whether the editors, managers, and printers convicted have been treated as political prisoners; if not, what is the nature of their imprisonment; whether the Government of India has in contemplation the adoption of a more stringent control of native newspapers by means of a proposed emendation of the law relating 1709 to registration; and, if so, whether an opportunity will be given to this House to discuss the proposed measure before it is passed into law.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) Seventeen newspapers have been prosecuted since the beginning of 1907. Indian law distinguishes only simple imprisonment and rigorous imprisonment, that is, with hard labour. Of the thirteen persons sentenced, twelve were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment and one to simple imprisonment. I am not aware that any amendment of the law relating to registration of newspapers is likely to be proposed.