§ 9. Mr. CLARKEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is aware that Sardar Mohindrasingh, a 847 member of the Punjab Legislative Council, has been sentenced to two and a half years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1,500, on a charge of entertaining a Shahidi Akali Jatha; and if he will inquire into the circumstances of the case and the reason for the severity of the sentence?
§ Mr. RICHARDSI have seen a Press message to this effect in a newspaper recently received from India, but have no official information on the subject. Without further details it is not proposed to make inquiry into the case.
§ Major BARNETTWill the hon. Gentleman have the goodness to tell the House what is a Shahidi Akali Jatha, as without that information it is impossible to form a judgment on the gravity of this case?
§ Mr. RICHARDSI have already said that I have no information beyond what I have seen in the newspapers.