The Nehru Report and Muslim Rights — Page 80
• [ 80 ] lhe Hindus? If they would not, can they expect the Hindus to give up their property to the l\lluslims? When matters stand like this, it may be feared, and rightly feared that the Hindus in the event of coming to power. ' will make every effort to perpetuate the backwardness of the l\1uslims. It ;s, therefor•�. indispensable that the Moslems should, from the very beginning, adopt such precautionary measures as may effectively prevent the Hindus from fulfilling their design, and may keep the avenues of work and progress open to the luslims. Certain people, eitber foolishly or in order to lull the Muslims to a sense of false security. argue that there are innumerable lines of progress befcre the country, and ·therefore the ways ! or the Musli1ns • progress are not barred. This is sheer nonsense. There are innumerable ways of progress before the world, but is it not a fact that European interests are obstructing the development of Indian industries? When the English industrialists, thousands of miles remote from India, cannot vie,v ,vith equanimity the industrial development of India, fearing lest it should affect their interests adverse1y. -will the Hindu traders living in India suffer to see their Muslim compatriots going ahead in the commercial field? Can they, again I ask, view with equanimity the replacement in Government offices, of their Hindu brethren by Musli m recruits, who no doubt cannot step in unless vacancies are made in the Hindu ranks? No Government Indian • or non-Indian, will create new posts, merely to accom- modate the Mussalmans. Is it not, therefore. important that rules should be 1:-1ade from the beginning in order to secure the rights of the Mussa1mans? From hypothesis, let us now come to facts. A study of the actual situation in India convinces us of the neces ,sity for special measures for the protection of Muslim rights. I do not think any Mussalman wi11 deny the fact