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PARLIAMENT AND INDIA
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It was the same when the Statutory Report came outthe result of two years' work and unanimously signed by Commissioners, belonging to the three parties. On any ordinary sound method the Viceroy ought to have left that document to the Conference without prejudicing it beforehand. Instead, Lord Irwin let it be known almost at once that he was prepared to “go beyond " the Statutory Report ; and this hasty announcement depreciated the weight of his own views while striking at the usefulness of the Statutory Report as a ground of discussion in the manner, intended by Parliament and solemnly promised to the nation ten years ago.
So much for method. Could the Congress extremists have desired anything better for them ? But what of the principle ? “Diarchy at the Centre" is the thing most deprecated by the Statutory Report. Yet it is proposed already. Already, and before the Round Table Conference-repudiated by Congress -has begun to discuss all the connected factors. Sir John Simon and his colleagues proposed complete provincial autonomy because diarchy has failed in that sphere. Why did it fail ? Because agitation, instead of being content with the "transferred powers, concentrated on obtaining the “reserved "powers. And so would it be in the Central sphere.
The Federation of India on terms of stability and peace within itself—that is the object. But British India is only two-thirds of the whole. The Indian princes rule the other third. In any federal system for All-India their interests and their inviolable rights are profoundly involved. No true federal executive can be responsible in whole or in part to the Dolbi Legislature alone. And while Britain remains in India she must possess the only known guarantee of good government.-"power equal to responsibility," whatever the degree of responsibility may be.
_“JUSTICE."
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
