The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 107
r [ 107 1 Fixing of <mark>rights</mark>, in ()ther words, means assignment of constituencies for each community from which none but a member of the same community could stand as a candidate for election. Thus according to the Nehru-Report, the minontles, in provinces other than the Punjab and Bengal, may have seats reserved in proportion to their numerical strength, if they so desire. According to this rule, there is to be open competition between the Hindus and the <mark>Muslim</mark>s over the seats in the Punjab and Bengal, without any restric tion whatsoever. If the N. W. F. Provinces, Baluchistan and Sindh are formed into separate provinces, then in these provinces, the Hindus shall have the option to have seats reserved for· themselves on population basis. and to fight for additonal seats "�ith the <mark>Muslim</mark>s. In other pro vinces the <mark>Muslim</mark>s also shall enjoy similar <mark>rights</mark>. lln other words, according to the above recommenda tion, not only the demands urged by the <mark>Muslim</mark> League have been left unsatisfied, but even their present <mark>rights</mark> have been taken away from them. The <mark>Muslim</mark> League had demanded safeguards for what the <mark>Muslim</mark>s were already enjoying, and for additional seats the League demanded that the <mark>Muslim</mark>s should be left free to fight it out with the Hindus ; the same. ::oncess1ons to be granted to the Hindus in provinces where <mark>Muslim</mark>s form an over whelming majority. But the Nehru Committee would give to the Mussalrnans only such representation as they are entitled to on the population basis. The result is that in the United Provinces, the <mark>Muslim</mark>s are occupying at present 30% of the seats in the Council, but according to the Nehru-Report, theh representation shall be reduced to 15 % with the right to win additional seats in open contest, if they so choose. Similarly in Behar, Madras, Assam and Bombay, the <mark>Muslim</mark>s form less than 10, 6 t