The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 132
[ 132 ] stead of the whole country co-operating in electing its representatives, its different parts will elect their own representatives. Representation does exist though in � different form. And in fact, all civilised countries differ from one another in their forms of representation. (iv) The last, and I should say, the most powe:rful argument in the opinion of the opponents is, that with reservation of seats the Muslims would get seats only in proportion to their population, but without such reserva tion, there would be chances for them to secure more, and there is no reason why they should refuse the chance of an increased representation. Any man with a head on his shoulders would see through this argument, and agree that it is playing with the sentiments of the people, and I am really surpri�ed to see that the Nehru Com• mittee did try to exploit the sentiments of the Muslims, without realising that it might produce result, quite con trary to what it expected. The Nehru Committee is in fact so much enamoured of this argument, that it has stressed it on several occa sions. It says :-'' We have seen that this superiority has not helped the Hindus of Bengal at the District Board elections and we are sure that the result of Council elections will be even more strikingly in favour of the Moslems. " ( Nehru-Report, p. 48. ) Again:-'' Looking at it purely from the Hindu point of view, however, we can well imagine that a reservation of seats for the Muslim majorities in the Punjab and Bengal, may actually benefit the Hindus, and may be the Sikhs also, more than no reserva tion. The facts and figures we have stated demonstrate that the Muslim position in the Punjab and Bengal is so strong that in all likelihood they will gain in a joint electorate with no reservation more seats than their popti. . . (