The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 90
. . . [ 90 ] accept the same. What we contend is that in its present form, the Report is unacceptable to the Muslims. With regard to this particufar issue, however, I do not agree that the rights of the Muslims will be secured even by the introduction of the proposed a�endments. For even if the proposed amendments are incorporated in the constitution, what guarantee is there that the constitution itself will not be changed in future? �'hen the supreme authority will lie with the Central Government with power to alter the constitution, it will certainly be competent to change these laws in future and arrogate to itself the power to interfere in the affairs of the provinces in case of necessity, and also to alter their territorial limits. Thus so long as the Central Government wields the supreme authority, there will be no real safeguards for Muslim rights. The remedy lies only in vesting the pro vinces with supreme power. I wonder how a section of our politicians has sought to magnify the merits of the Nehru-Report, which as it appears to me, has only served unnecessarily to inflame the Muslim opinion by disregarding their rights in some non--essential matters. If the Nehru Committee had simply recommended a Central Government with supreme powers, and then granted to the provinces complete auto nomy, and yielded to the Muslim demand for separat. ! electorates, and majority of representation in the Punjab and Bengal, even th{. n the Hindus would not have suffered in the least. For, after the attainment of Dominion Status, they could have easily withdrawn all the privileges of the Muslims whenever they wished to do so. But it seems that a mean spirit of bargaining had swayed them against their better judgment so much so, that they did not feel disposed even by a word of mouth to make any con cession to the Muslims. !It reminds me of the story of I