The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 16
[ 16 ] text, assure the Hindus that their fears regarding Muslim majority, are absolutely unfounded when they ( the Nehruites) will be there to overlord it in the Central Government, and ready to intervene whenever the econo mic supremacy of the Hindus is placed in danger. Though the words are guarded, yet reading between the lines, the presumption grows clear that the Central Gov ernment has reserved for itself powers simply in order to safeguard Hindu interests. We ourselves do not favour the idea of trampling upon other people's rights, but we suspect that the Central Government will not be content with merely intervening when Hindu interests are actually jeopardised in Muslim Provinces, but that by its undue interference it will hamper the progress of those pro vinces, and prevent them from adopting measures condu. . cive to a healthy development, just as in the past certain European Powers stood in the way of the Turks' pro gress. But this is not the only reason. Commonsense suggests that the vastness of India, its diversity of r�li gious persuasions, tongues and culture, make it essential that each province should progress independently. t-Iome rule can never be of benefit to India unless it be of a federal type. Such a type of Government is b�' no means a novel experiment. It has been successfuliy adopted by the United States of America, the wealthiest and most formidable power in the world. So μiuch, h9w ever, must be guaranteed by enactment that no province shall have the right to break off from the Central Body. When an understanding to the effect has been given by each province, there will no longer exist for India that fear of being partitioned into divisions as faced the United States once upon a time.