Corpun file 16415

Hansard (House of Commons), London, 29 February 1932

Oral Answers.

Corporal Punishment.

18. Mr. MACLEAN asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that a boy, Chandrakant N. Joshi, was charged under Bombay Ordinance V. of 1932 with picketing; that this boy is 14 years of age and was found guilty, and sentenced to one day's simple imprisonment and 12 cuts with a rattan cane; that this boy was bound on a triangle in the court room, stripped, and whipped with 12 cuts with the cane on his bare body; and under what law or ordinance this punishment was inflicted?

Sir S. HOARE: I have no information beyond that which has appeared in the Press, from which I gather that the boy was charged both under the Ordinance with molestation and under the ordinary law with disorderly behaviour, and was sentenced to one day's imprisonment on the first charge and to 12 stripes on the second, the Magistrate observing that he considered this the most suitable punishment. The whipping of juveniles is authorised by Section 5 of the Whipping Act, 1909.

Mr. MACLEAN: Since the information that the right hon. Gentleman has received is merely the information that has appeared in the Press and is available to all other Members, will he make an official inquiry into the matter and find out the particulars?

Sir S. HOARE: I have no reason to think that the information published in the Press is not correct. The Press published an account of the case. I am quite ready to make further inquiry if the hon. Member wishes, but I do not think it will add anything to the information I have given already.

Mr. MACLEAN: In view of the inadequate information in the Press with regard to the bomb on the railway, might this not be just as wrong as that previous information? I hope the right hon. Gentleman will make this inquiry.