The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 39
[ 39 ] What is Dominion Status ? The Moslems should well understand that what the Nehru Committee and every Indian demand to-day is Dominion Status, i. e. , a sort of semi-independent Govern. . ment. 1lt is worth their while to know what Dominion Status signifies, because without such a knowledge Muslims will not be able to realise that by their half hearted efforts to get their demands accepted, they are not only ruining their future generations but are also cut ting at the very root of Islam, and preparing the ground for the Spanish tragedy in India. Heaven protect us ! Dominion Self--Gover. :1. ment is a ver�r recent phrase, meaning that form of independent Government as obtains in Canada, Australia, South Africa, Newzealand and from the last five years in South Ireland. After various dis putes, and agreements up till the outbreak of the War the Dominions had acquired the following rights:- The British Parliament shall enact no legislation re lating to the internal administration of the Dominions, the Dominions reserving to themselves the right to legis late in matters internal. A Dominion may at any time deprive its own citizens of the right of appeal to the British Privy Council, i. e. , it can declare the judgment of its own Supreme Court to be final. Every Dominion has the right to maintain its own military, naval forces for the protection of its own territories. It may also alter its constitution by a majority decision of its own parliament, even if such constitution was passed by the British Parliament. The British Government has the right to veto any law enacted by a Dominion Govern ment, but this privilege is not to be exercised except in matters which concern not exclusively that particular Dominion but affects other parts of the British Empire.