The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 111
[ 111 ] To understand the matter clearly it must be borne in mind that, at present Muslim representation in the Legislative Assembly is 29 per cent. , and in the future Parliament the Nehru Committee propose an aggregate number of 500 seats, of which, the Mussalmans would get 125 only on population basis, while in proportion to their present represent�tion they are entitled to 150 seats. According to the original demand of the Calcutta League, Muslims would have received one-third of the total seats, that is 166 seats. No,v I propose to show the proportion of representation the Muslims would command under the Nehru scheme. The Nehru-Report admits that the Muslim of Bengal and the Punjab would be able to return from thirty to forty members to the Central Legislature. Let us grant that the Muslims would be singularly fortunate in elect ing what the Report considers to be a maximum number of members for the Punjab and Bengal, i. e. , forty. Let us also grant that the Muslims in Sindh, N. W. F. Pro vinces, and Baluchistan would be able to return the full proportion of members even in the face of Hindu opposi tion. The total population of these three provinces amounts to 61 ,26,000, of which only 5% are Hindus. The Muslim population of 58,22,000 will be entitled to eleven seats only. In the U. P. , Behar, Assam, Madras, Central Province, and Bombay ( excluding Sindh), the Muslims are 71, 35, 15, 25, 5 and 12 lacs respectively. In Burma the actual figure of the present Muslim population is not before me, but judging from the census of 190 I when it was 3 lacs and 46 thousand we may reckon it at 5 lacs at ffl'C!>st. These figures make an aggregate of 1 crore and 68 lacs, on the strength of which the Muslims would be entitled to 33 seats; thus giving them a total number of 84. seats. Add to the above calculation- the Muslim