The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 72
72 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN Government of India. In those days, the railway budget, which was presented to the Assembly by the Railway Member, was bigger than the whole of the rest of the budget of the Government of India. That was always a matter of some difficulty with the Finance Member. The Secretary of State continued: "But one difference it will make to you is a technical one. Sir Joseph Bhore completes his term of office three or four weeks after Sir Fazle Hussain does. I am prepared to suggest to the Viceroy that you should take over from Fazle Hussain when he completes his term of office the portfolio of Education, Health and Lands for three or four weeks - till Sir Joseph Bhore retires - and then you switch over to his portfolio, and whoever is to succeed Sir Joseph Bhore will take over Education, Health and Lands from you. " I said, "No, Sir, I would not suggest such a complicated arrangement. I am quite willing to wait to take over from Sir Joseph Bhore direct, when he completes his term. " He said, "This will mean two things. For three or four weeks there will be no Muslim Member of Council, which is not too long an interval, but it would make you junior in status and in protocol to whoever takes over from Sir Fazle Hussain. You are entitled to come in first. " I said, "Sir, these things do not worry me at all. " What happened was that Sir Joseph Bhore's successor, in the non-Muslim vacancy turned out to be Sir Jagdish Prashad, a member of the Indian Civil Service from the United Provinces, a perfect gentleman, with whom I never had the slightest difference of opinion. While he and I were together on the Council I had, as it were, two votes in the Council. He was a member of the Civil Service and had a lot of administrative experience, but he told me that till he came up to Simla, to take charge of his portfolio, he had never travelled up to Simla before. Simla was the headquarters of the Government of India; the summer headquarters of the Government of the United Provinces was at Nainital, and he used to go there for the summer. On every matter of policy he would consult with me; we would put our heads together, and whatever we decided both of us did together. It was a very happy companionship. Though he was three or four weeks my senior and, therefore, at meetings of Council etc. , he sat above me, we were such good friends that I felt that I held both portfolios. I did not interfere with anything in his portfolio, naturally, but we were in constant touch and it turned out to be a very happy arrangement.