The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 155
[ 155 ] And as those conditions have not been fulfilled, it may safely and logically be concluded, that the League ( Cal cutta section) is in favour of the retention of this system. So far as I can understand, separate electorates would be helpful in banishing the present state of warfare be tween the two communities. It is irrelavent to ask ,-vhat it has helped to produce so far. For, it could as well be asked, what has the joint electorate system done so far to improve the mutual relations in the District Boards and Municipalities, where it is in force. . The real thing, however, is that if the separate electorate system is at all objectionable, it 1s objectionable not from the view-point of inter-com munal relation, but for its 1n3urious effect upon the community itself. So far as inter-communal relation is concerned, separate electorate works for reduction of acerbity. Its chief defect is that it weakens the spirit of competition in a community. But under the present circumstances, when the Hindu-Muslim relation is so strained, it is simply indispensable. The consequence of its retention would be that the two com munities would settle down to work in a spirit of security. Our experience only strengthens the same opinion. We see that inspite of separate electorates, no legislative body has a purely Muslim Party. If the system had helped to foster disunity, it would have naturally led to the formation of separate Muslim and Hindu Parties in the Councils. The very absence of such parties shows, that the evil attributed to the system is in fact not due to it. At any rate, we find that under this system Muslims of all shades of opinion, Swarajists as well as the ad vocates of joint electorate system, have been able to win seats ; and similarly, those Hindus also who are c�-operat ing with the Muslims. Therefore, in so far as elections