§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he was aware that the Rohtak district of the Punjab had been proclaimed under the Seditious Meetings Act; and whether he could say what number of political offences had been prosecuted in this district during the past three years; what meetings had hitherto been held which had been calculated to excite public feeling against the Government; and what were the special reasons which led to the proclamation being issued?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe district in question has been proclaimed. I cannot state the number of offences against public tranquillity during the past three years, but the Secretary of State is satisfied from the information before him that the proclamation is fully justified as a precautionary measure.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEHas there been reported from this district any single case of a political meeting of any kind being held during the last three years; if not, on what ground was this place proclaimed?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Seditious Meetings Act does not refer only to political meetings, but to public meetings likely to excite disaffection; and, having regard to the fact that such meetings were being held in this district, it was thought necessary to proclaim it.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIECan the hon. Gentleman say what was the nature of the projected meetings: were they political or religious?
§ Mr. MONTAGUIn India, religious meetings very often become political.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEDoes that apply to Liverpool?