The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 158
[ 158 ] separate electorates? If the answer is in the affirmative, I ask what was the proportion of Muslims in various Government departments previous to the introduction of the system? If it is a fact that before the introduction of the system, the Muslims enjoyed their full share of Government offices, then no doubt it will have to be ad mitted that the Hindus had no prejudice against the Mus lims before the system was introduced. But if the Mus lims' position was worse than it is now, then it shall have to be admitted that the prejudice is not the result of separate electorate, but on the contrary it was in con sequence of such prejudice that the Muslims were obliged to make this demand for separate electorates. And if it is proved that there has been an intensification of pre judice in these days, then the fact has to be ascribed not to separate electorates, but to the restlessness among the Hindus at the sight of the Muslims snatching away some of those privileges, ,vhich were so long the sole monopoly of the Hindus. I cannot conclude without adding that the object of representation is a faithful interpretation of the views of a people, and there is no doubt that such interpretation can be best done by a co-religionist. The fact must not be lost sight of that at the time of elections, people secure votes by appealing to matters which are irrelevant but calculated to excite public feelings. But during the col;lncil session there arise many such ques tions, as are completely unknown to the electorate itself. True and faithful representation can be done only by a co-religionist who can faithfully reflect the views of his constituency, even when a new matter comes in for consi deration. And this state of things is to continue, till the people learn to separate politics from religion ; and mutual tension disappears, and cordial relations grow among the