§ 14. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the statement by the home member in the Legislative Assembly that under the Defence of India Rules, as on 1st January, 1945, 5,708 were imprisoned and 7,574 detained; and how he reconciles these figures with those last given by him as to the number detained.
§ Mr. AmeryI have, so far, received 710 confirmation of the report referred to by the hon. Member, and I do not know what was the request to which the reply was addressed. In replying to previous Questions in this House I have given the number of persons undergoing detention without trial in connection with the Congress movement. The number of such persons on the 1st December last, the latest date for which a figure has been reported to me, was 1,841. The balance is accounted for by some 2,000 persons detained in connection with serious outbreaks of criminal violence in Sind which were in no way connected with the Congress movement, and by persons detained in connection with terrorist activities.
§ Mr. SorensenWould the right hon. Gentleman communicate with the home member and the Government of India so that we might have a clearer picture of the various categories of persons?
§ Mr. AmeryI have attempted, whenever a Question is asked here, to give all the information available. When questions of a different character are asked in 375 the Indian Legislature, the member for the Government concerned answers those questions.
§ Mr. SorensenWould the right hon. Gentleman communicate with the Government of India to see exactly how these 2,000 people are made up?
§ Mr. AmeryAgain, I must point out that, in these matters, law and order are within the responsibility of the Provincial Governments, and Provincial Governments act on their own when people are detained, just as the courts act on their own when people are convicted. Information of that sort eventually reaches the central Government, and I can always try to secure it in answer to specific questions.