§ 3. Mr. GALLACHERasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will make a statement as to the general treatment of political prisoners in India; whether he is aware of the strong feeling that political prisoners should be treated as a separate class and that the sending of political prisoners to the Andaman islands should be discontinued; that Sergeant Jogesh Chatterjee went on hunger strike on 13th November as a protest against the refusal by the Luck-now gaol authorities to redress the grievances of the political prisoners in the gaol; and what is the present condition of Sergeant Chatterjee?
§ Mr. BUTLERThe treatment of prisoners in Indian jails is governed by the Classification Rules laid down in 1930, which do not recognise any separate class of political prisoners, and of which I will send the hon. Member a copy. The prisoners sent to the Andamans, to whom I presume the hon. Member refers, are certain convicted Bengal terrorists. I am aware that Jogesh Chatterjee went on hunger strike last November, but I have no information as to his present condition.
Mr. GALLAGHERWill the Minister be good enough to try to get some information about the general conditions?
§ Mr. H. G. WILLIAMSCan my hon. Friend say how the treatment of political prisoners in India compares with their treatment in Russia?