§ 6. Mr. SORENSENasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will have inquiries made into the case of Krishna Das, whose letter from gaol to Mahatma Gandhi many years ago was intercepted by the Government and formed the basis of the action taken against Bose and his continued imprisonment; is he aware that Krishna Das had no direct knowledge of any connection between Mr. Bose and the Yugantar party of revolutionaries; and that in the gaol where Krishna Das was there was a number of police emissaries who were sent there to create confusion in the ranks of civil disobedience prisoners?
§ 8. Mr. JAGGERasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, seeing that it was on the basis of a letter written by Krishna Das, and intercepted by the Government some years ago, that the Government of India based the action they have taken in interning Mr. Subas Bose without trial for an indefinite period, he will now cause inquiry to be made into the authenticity of the letter in question and the information in it?
§ Mr. BUTLERThe action taken in the case of Mr. Bose does not rest merely on the letter referred to, but on Government's knowledge of his activities over a long period of years. The question of Mr. Krishna Das' letter was fully dealt with by Government spokesmen in the Assembly last March, and I would refer the hon. Members to the report of this Debate.
§ Mr. SORENSENIs it not a fact that this letter was a very important element in the decision to intern Mr. Bose?
§ Mr. BUTLERIt was one of the elements taken into consideration, but by no means the only one.
§ Mr. JAGGERCould we not have a copy of the letter circulated for the information of the House, in order that we may see what was said about Mr. Bose?
§ Mr. BUTLERThe letter was circulated in the Indian Press, and I will certainly take steps to see that it is brought to the attention of hon. Members here.
§ Mr. SORENSENDo I understand that the hon. Gentleman is going to make further inquiries regarding the letter from Mr. Krishna Das?
§ Mr. BUTLERMy information is that the matter was fully explained to the Indian Assembly, and I think it would be worth while for the hon. Member to read the Assembly debates.