HC Deb 20 July 1909 vol 8 cc267-8
Dr. RUTHERFORD

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the recent statement of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal regarding the unrest in his province; and whether His Majesty's Government will now, in accordance with the promise of the late Prime Minister, reconsider the whole question of the partition of Bengal, with a view to allaying the unrest?

The PRIME MINISTER

I am not aware that the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal traced any connection whatever between the unrest in his province and the redistribution of its Government. The late Prime Minister said on 30th July, 1906:— My right lion. Friend, the Secretary of State for India, has twice stated that His Majesty's Government regard the redistribution of Government in Bengal as a settled question. If any substantial grounds for reviewing this settlement, are laid before him on good authority, my right hon. Friend will give them his careful consideration. Since that date His Majesty's Government have frequently stated that they regard the redistribution of Government in Bengal as a settled question, the last occasion having been as recent as 4th May. No substantial grounds for reviewing it have been laid before them, and the policy of His Majesty's Government, adopted deliber- ately and after full consideration, remains, and is likely to remain, unchanged.

Dr. RUTHERFORD

May I ask whether there is not substantial ground for the fact of the unrest continuing in Bengal after the grave statement made the other day by the Lieutenant Governor-General, and whether, in the estimation of Indian reformers, the partition of Bengal is not considered one of the chief causes of unrest?

Mr. SPEAKER

That is an argumentative question.