The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 168
[ 168 � vakia the minorities have been accorded representation in excess of their population ratio. This may be seen from a passage in the reply, given by the Czechoslovakian Government to the League of Nations in connection with a representation made to the latter by the German minority regarding their ill--treatment by the Czechoslovakian Government. The reply said that in spite of that, they ( the Germans ) held more seats in the national assembly than they were entitled to according to their numerical strength, and that if they could win a sufficient majority, they might be able to change even the constitution. (The Protection of Minorities, p. /20. ) In a word, one solution of the present difficulty, so far as I can understand, lies in allotting to the Muslim community 34% or at least 33% of the seats both in the Senate and in the Parliament, so that without their con sultation it should not be possible to change the laws of the constitution. The above remedy is proposed only for affairs of general interest. There will, however, be certain matters that affect the Muslims alone, and in my opinion these should not be interfered with without the consent of the community itself. These matters I have already referred to elsewhere. Regarding these, the decision of the Luck now Pact seems to be the best possible solution. That is, it should be provided that no change shall be made in the laws of the constitution, pertaining to these matters, with out two�thirds of the elected Muslim members of the Central Parliament voting for such change, and that such law shall be introduced only in those provinces where two�thirds of the Muslim members of the provincial body agree to the same. Such are the provisions which may help to safeguard the Muslim interests, and there is no reason why they should not be acceptable to the Hindus.