§ 7. Mr. D. GRENFELLasked the Secretary of State for India whether, in the case of Miss Suniti Neogy, Miss Bina Dasgupta, and Mrs. Biraja Bhattacherjee, who were arrested for participating in a civil-disobedience procession in Calcutta, his attention has been drawn to the action of the police at the Lalbazaar lock-up in compelling the removal from their persons of the sankha and loha ornaments; if he will state under what section of the Gaol Code these ornaments were removed; and whether he is aware that the removal of these ornaments is regarded as a sign of widowhood?
§ Sir S. HOAREI have no information on this matter but I will make inquiries.
§ 9. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for India if he will inform
| Civil Disobedience Movement. | |||||||
| Particulars of Convictions, etc., at 29th February, 1932. | |||||||
| Province | Total convictions under ordinary law to 29th February. | Total convictions under ordinances to 29th February. | Number in jail on 29th February. | ||||
| Men. | Women. | Men. | Women. | Men. | Women. | ||
| Madras | … | 869 | 84 | 312 | 63 | 1,108 | 136 |
| Bombay | … | 3,379 | 224 | 1,445 | 117 | 3,994 | 284 |
| Bengal | … | 3,935 | 263 | 2,939 | 161 | 2,896 | 158 |
| United Provinces | … | 4,284 | 143 | 2,080 | 47 | 5,696 | 160 |
| Punjab | … | 220 | 7 | 396 | 41 | 528 | 46 |
| Bihar and Orissa | … | 3,718 | 103 | 753 | 17 | 3,952 | 89 |
| Central Provinces | … | 1,014 | 101 | 570 | 33 | 995 | 76 |
| Assam | … | 114 | 11 | 209 | 30 | 291 | 40 |
| North-West Frontier Province | … | 4,268 | — | 48 | 1 | 4,254 | 1 |
| Delhi | … | 246 | 18 | 111 | 12 | 296 | 27 |
| Mysore and Coorg | … | 192 | 3 | — | — | 180 | 3 |
| Ajmer | … | 95 | 2 | 4 | — | 98 | 2 |
| Totals | … | 22,334 | 959 | 8,867 | 522 | 24,288 | 1,022 |
Mr. WILLIAMSHas the right hon. Gentleman any information with regard to the suggestions that have been made relating to 400 or 500 more people having been imprisoned during the week-end?
§ Sir S. HOAREI shall be answering a private notice question on that subject later on.
§ Mr. MORGAN JONES (by Private Notice)asked the Secretary of State for India the number of persons who have
§ the House of the latest figures showing the number of arrests of men and women in India; and the number imprisoned for civil disobedience offences?
§ Sir S. HOAREAs I informed the hon. Member on the 8th February, I am unable to give figures of arrests. I am however circulating a statement showing for all provinces the number of convictions up to the 29th February and the number in prison on that date which is the latest for which I have complete information. The number of convictions in March was approximately 7,000 and the number in prison at the end of the month approximately 26,600. It is satisfactory to note that there has been a substantial fall in the number of convictions during March, the figure 7,000 comparing with 15,000 for January and 18,000 during February.
§ Following is the statement:
§ been arrested in India arising out of the prohibition of Congress Meeting and whether he has any further statement to make on this matter
§ Sir S. HOAREIt was necessary to take preventive action against the holding of a prohibited meeting, the object of which was to further the illegal activities of the Congress. I understand that the police made a number of arrests. As these events only took place yesterday, I have no further details.
§ Mr. JONESAre we to understand that the Congress as an organisation is of is not an illegal body under the new ordinances recently passed?
§ Sir S. HOAREI would refer the hon. Member to the answers which I have already given on this subject in the House. The Congress, as a whole, has not been declared an illegal body, but the local branches of the Cougress in many instances have been declared illegal bodies.
§ Mr. JONESIn point of fact, was not the Congress meeting to which I have referred that of the national organisation and not the local one?
§ Sir S. HOAREIt was the meeting of the Congress which was declared illegal and not the Congress itself.