asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any bonfires of foreign cloth have been permitted in India within recent weeks; whether any such bonfires have been prohibited and, if so, how many; and whether any arrests have taken place in connection therewith?

The burning of foreign cloth is not of itself an offence and such bonfires have taken place in India, but the lighting of a bonfire, for example in a public street, may call for prohibition by the authorities. I have no information as to the number of cases in which prohibition has been found necessary or how many arrests may have taken place, but as instances of both I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to himself on the 7th March and to the hon. Member for Penryn and Falmouth (Mr. Pilcher) on the 11th March.