The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 116
l ! J 6 J majority being converted into • • a strong minority just short of a majority. " The Nehru-Report too makes a reference to this demand of the Muslims. It says:-•· In any event they,'' ( meaning-the Punjab Muslims), •• will capture enough seats to make the;m if not a clear majority at least a strong rninority just short of a majority. " ( Ibid. p. 35. ) The Nehru Committee objects to the demand on the ground that it amounts to an admission that it is impos sible to safeguard the rights of the minorities without letting them occupy a position of domination, and that such a proposition is unjust on the very face of it. The committee, therefore, sum;marily dismisses the 1\,Iuslim de mand as an unjust one. So far as I can understand. the committee have put an interpretation on the Musl�m demand that at least the intelligent section of the fVIuslim public has never had this in its mind. I remember having heard, on the occasion of the last Unity Conference at Simla, one Hindu delegate (he was addressed as doctor, and if I am not mistaken, it was Dr. Nandlal, Bar-at-law) deprecating the Muslim proposal on the ground that it did not appeal to him that when a Hindu in the Central Province struck a Muslim, a Muslim in the Punjab should in retaliation strike a Hindu. No Muslim, I believe, had understood the demand in that way. In offences of a national character the whole of the community, to which the culprits belong. is treated as the offender, but it is neither reasonable nor justified to inflict indiscriminate punishment or to retaliate as has been suggested. But I ask the Hindus what would they answer to the Muslims, if they should make to them the following proposals at a time when the country's fate is going to be decided :- • • You aspire after the freedom of India and so do we. You are fully aware of the fact that you cannot do without us. You also know that from a fair]y long time our