§ 3. Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he lie has now received any report of the magisterial inquiry into the shooting of railway men in the Lillooah district at Bamangachi; and whether the superior European staff was called out to take part and did take part, in shooting the Indian workers on strike?
§ 4. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the report of the district magistrate of Calcutta that on 28th March, during the occasion of disturbance in connection with a labour dispute, the officer in charge of armed forces engaged in restoring peace ordered his men to fire on selected persons in the crowd; that no warning was given before firing and no order was issued that the men should fire low; that the two men alleged to have been shot down as selected persons were not stone throwing hut were actually behind those who were attacking the police; and whether, in view of these charges, he will order a full public inquiry into all the circumstances Connected with the disturbance, and especially into the charges made by the district magistrate against the British officer in charge of the soldiers and police?
§ Earl WINTERTONI regret that I am not in a position to make any statement on this matter to-day as the reply from the Government of India to my Noble Friend's telegraphic inquiry has only been received within the last half-hour and has not yet been deciphered. Perhaps, the hon. Members will repeat their questions later in the week.
§ Mr. LANSBURYAre steps being taken by the authorities in India to mediate between the disputants in order to avert this sort of happening?
§ Earl WINTERTONI think the hon. Member had better put down a question upon that point. Efforts are being made to bring the parties together, but the matter is complicated by a great many considerations, including Communist activity within and without India.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIf I put down a question for Thursday or Monday, will that be too soon?
§ Earl WINTERTONIf the hon. Member would like to put down a question for to-morrow or Wednesday, I think I should be in a position to answer it.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAIs not this railway a Government concern, and are not the Government themselves the employers?
§ Earl WINTERTONI do not think that question has any bearing on my answer. I said that efforts are being made to bring the parties together.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAWould it not be impossible for the Government if they are the employers, to act as mediators between the parties?