Internment and discipline

THE succession of defeats recently inflicted on the Bengal Government in the Legislative Council was crowned by a great popular victory on Monday over the motion for adjournment of the House to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, namely, the recent treatment of political prisoners in the presidency. The motion was with particular reference to the treatment of three prisoners who were transferred about a fortnight ago from the Behrampur prison to the Hazaribagh jail; it was brought forward by JM Sengupta, the leader of the Swaraj party, in a speech, which gave details of the treatment meted out to the prisoners. “On the night of November 22,” he said, “these prisoners received a chit from the Jail Superintendent that they were wanted in the office. At that time, they had no clothes on the upper part of their body, as they were doing exercise. They were immediately marched before the jailer and were told that they would have to undertake the journey immediately to Hazaribagh. They asked for winter clothes, but none were supplied. They wanted to go to their cells to get their clothes, but were not allowed to do so. They were compelled to undertake their journey that very evening without warm clothes.” Well might Sengupta say that it was extremely doubtful whether even the ordinance, bad and drastic as it was, sanctioned such treatment of such men. What was the government’s reply to this formidable indictment? It does not appear that the main facts were denied by Sir Hugh Stephenson, who spoke on behalf of the government.