§ 81. Mr. McENTEEasked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that on 7th March 13 working men's organisations were declared unlawful bodies under Section 16 of the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Act; how many of these organisations were trade unions; and whether, as labour unrest continues among dock, tramway, and other workers in Calcutta due to bad 572 economic conditions, he will state if it is intended permanently to deprive the Indian working class of the freedom to organise and to conduct processions and demonstrations against labour conditions which are considered unacceptable?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Butler)The Bengal Government are satisfied that the associations in question were not bona fide trade unions which the authorities in India are and always have been anxious to encourage, but were communist bodies which had for their object interference with the administration of the law and with the maintenance of law and order and constituted a danger to the public peace.