HC Deb 14 October 1908 vol 194 c297
SIR H. COTTON

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to what is known as the Karur sedition case, in which a young man of nineteen years of age has been sentenced by the Judge of Coimbatore to five years transportation for making two seditious speeches, although he tendered an apology to the Government at the beginning of the trial and the assessors in Court strongly recommended him to mercy; and whether he will make inquiry into the facts of this case with a view to the remission or modification of the sentence.

MR. BUCHANAN

In this case also it is open to the accused to appeal to the High Court.

MR. LUPTON

asked whether there was still in India anything in the nature of free speech and a free Press.

MR. BUCHANAN

Yes; a great deal of it.