Mr. B. Taylorasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will now make a statement on the policy which is being adopted towards those Indian Army personnel who joined the I.N.A.
§ Mr. A. HendersonThe total number of persons enrolled in or involved in the activities of the I.N.A. was approximately 43,000. Of these only 20,000 were members of the Indian Army. Of these 20,000 there are first a substantial number who took up arms in the cause of the enemy either tinder compulsion despite their real inclination, or of intention with the purpose of taking the earliest opportunity to2050W escape to our side. All these men who concealed and only technically broke their allegiance are being treated as any other recovered prisoners of war, and can resume their career in the Indian Army if they wish to do so. Secondly, there is a large category of men who joined the I.M.A. either through being deceived by the enemy propaganda or through forcible persuasion or threats. This category are being released alter interrogation and are being given 42 days paid leave and will thereafter be discharged from the Indian Army. Some 6,000 cases have been placed in this category.
Those whose collaboration with the enemy is considered to have been of a more deliberate kind, are being interrogated as rapidly as possible and thereafter will cither be dismissed from the Indian Army or brought to trial by court martial. The policy of the Government of India is, however, that only those cases will be brought to trial where there are serious charges apart from that of waging war against the King or desertion from duty. Some of the offences involved are of the most grave character, such as murder and abetment of murder, and causing the death or brutal treatment of Indian or Allied personnel. It is not possible at the moment to estimate accurately in how many cases trials may be necessary, but the number will bear only a very small proportion to the total figure, and is estimated as between 20 and 50. It will be seen, therefore, that it is not the policy of the Government of India to prosecute the men whose sole offence was that they joined the I.N.A. in the mistaken belief that they were helping to liberate their country.