§ 7. Mr. BAKERasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the Lalitpur municipality, in Northern India, has recently refused to give any concessions to an American on the ground that the United States of America has refused to naturalise a Hindu who had gone there; whether the Secretary of State has any information about the reasons given by the United States for discriminating against Indians; whether any steps have been taken to get this discriminating treatment rectified; and whether any representations have been received from the Government of India about this matter?
§ Mr. RICHARDSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The refusal of the United States Government to naturalise Indians is due to a ruling of the Supreme Court that Indians are ineligible for United States citizenship. Representations have been made by His Majesty's Government, to the Government of the United States with a view to alleviating hardships resulting from this ruling. The Government of India and the Secretary of State have been in correspondence on this subject, and the Government of India have expressed their appreciation of the action taken by His Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. SIMPSONCan the hon. Gentleman see his way to get these facts published in India, where there is much bitterness in regard to these American exclusions?
§ Mr. RICHARDSI will see what can be done.