§ Mr. O'GRADYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the case of two students of the Maheshpur higher education school in the district of Jessore, who have been banished from the school for two years for the alleged offence of tying coloured threads round the wrists of four or five men during the last Rakhibandhan ceremony; whether the action for which the boys were punished is a custom at these ceremonies; and, in view of the effect such punishment must have on the future prospects of the boys, steps will be taken to inquire into the matter and, if no violence or threats were used, the decree of punishment will be revoked?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Montagu)The school in question is a private school, aided by a grant from public funds. Some time ago the secretary of the school issued a standing order prohibiting the boys from taking part in such movements as demonstrations against the partition of Bengal. On last partition day two of the boys disobeyed this order. The managing committee of the school resolved that they should be suitably punished, but proposed only a trifling fine of one rupee. The inspector of schools considered this inadequate, and reported the matter to the Director of Public Instruction, who ordered the boys' promotion to be stopped for a year. The statement that they have been banished from the school for two years is therefore incorrect. No appeal against the director's order has been made to the local government, and the Secretary of State does not propose to interfere.