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THIS D O C U M E N T IS T H E P R O P E R T Y OP H I S B R I T A N N I C MAJESTY'S G O V E R N M E N T
TO
BE
KEPT
UNDER
LOCK
AND
- -
w
KEY.
It is requested that special care may be taken to
ensure the secrecy of this document.
SACHET,
275
(51) .
COPY NO,..
3
INDICT
B I
a
M E
T.
BOUND TABLE;
RE£ CRT 0 1 C l B I I L i i T
The
by
the
Secretary
discussed
The
the
Cabinet
which
Cabinet
they
of
CCM1LITTEB.
Committee
State
problems
Committee
commend f o r
for
raised
agreed
GONFSaENCE.
considered
the
Memorandum
India
(R.ToC.(31)
by
in
it
upon t h e
acceptance
by
all
their
following
the
Cabinet
11)
and
bearings.
propositions
:­
(1)
The C o n f e r e n c e h a s r e a c h e d a p o s i t i o n i n w h i c h
no u s e f u l p u r p o s e w i l l b e s e r v e d b y a t t e m p t i n g
t o p r o l o n g i t s d i s c u s s i o n s , and i t i s
desirable
t o t e r m i n a t e them a t a T e r y e a r l y d a t e .
(ii)
Government
It is impossible for His Majesty s
t o d i s m i s s t h i s s e s s i o n of t h e C o n f e r e n c e w i t h
t h e Statement t h a t as t h e D e l e g a t e s have
failed
t o a g r e e on a Communal s e t t l e m e n t , a n d t h a t
as such a s e t t l e m e n t i s a c o n d i t i o n p r e c e d e n t
to c o n s t i t u t i o n a l progress, His Majestyts
G o v e r n m e n t *s h a n d s a r e t i e d and n o t h i n g
further
can be d o n e ,
(iii)
1
I t i s equally impossible to dismiss the
Conference w i t h the Statement that although His
project
M a j e s t y s Government w i l l pursue t h e
o f F e d e r a t i o n , t h e y c a n t a k e no d e f i n i t e
step
towards l e g i s l a t i n g f o r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l
reform
u n t i l the material for a Federal
Constitution
is complete.
T h e number a n d n a t u r e o f t h e
q u e s t i o n s t o be s e t t l e d b e f o r e t h i s consummation
can be r e a c h e d , and t h e n e c e s s i t y f o r
obtaining
a w i d e m e a s u r e o f a g r e e m e n t f r o m t h e P r i n c e s on
many o f t h e s e q u e s t i o n s ( s i n c e t h e
co-operation
o f t h e P r i n c e s i s e s s e n t i a l and t h e y c a n n o t be
c o m p e l l e d ) make i t c e r t a i n t h a t a c o n s i d e r a b l e
p e r i o d must e l a p s e b e f o r e s u c h a m e a s u r e
c o u l d be ready f o r
introduction.
?
"
(iv)
I t i s v i t a l l y necessary in the i n t e r e s t s
of
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n I n d i a t h a t u n c e r t a i n t y and
i n d e c i s i o n , w h i c h ax e s a p p i n g t h e m o r a l e o f t h e
s h o u l d h e t e r m i n a t e d by a d e f i n i t e
Services
s t a t e m e n t o f p o l i c y by H i s M a j e s t y ' s
Government,
and by a c t i o n i n e a r n e s t o f t h a t p o l i c y .
The
reactions in India to e i t h e r of the courses
d e s c r i b e d under ( i i )
and ( i i i ) above w o u l d produce
a s i t u a t i o n y.hich m i g h t w e l l r e s u l t i n
definitely
s e t t i n g back t h e course o f p r o g r e s s ,
-
;
(v)
(vi)
i s an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f
" P r o v i n c i a l autonomy
t h e F e d e r a l s c h e m e , a b o u t w h i c h i n no q u a r t e r
h a v e t h e r e e v e r b e e n any e f f e c t i v e d o u b t s .
A. B i l l
t o g i v e e f f e c t t o t h i s p a r t o f t h e scheme c o u l d
b e r e a d y f o r i n t r o d u c t i o n e a r l y i n t h e summer a n d
c o u l d be p a s s e d a t l e a s t by t h e end o f t h e y e a r ,
if
not before the r e c e s s ,
Such a B i l l w o u l d h a v e ,
o f c o u r s e , t o make -some r e l a x a t i o n o f t h e p o w e r s
o f c o n t r o l o v e r t h e p r o v i n c e s e x e r c l s e a b l e by
t h e Government o f I n d i a and t h r o u g h them by t h e
Secretary of State,
n
I t would., h o w e v e r , b e e s s e n t i a l t o g i v e
c o n v i n c i n g a s s u r a n c e s t o I n d i a t h a t such a
" p r o v i n c i a l autonomy" B i l l i s only the f i r s t
step
t o w a r d s an I n d i a F e d e r a t i o n and t h a t H i s M a j e s t y s
G o v e r n m e n t i n t e n d t o do a l l i n t h e i r p o w e r t o
p r e s s on t h e p r o c e s s t o i t s f e d e r a l
completion.
T
The C a b i n e t Committee c o n s i d e r t h a t t h e o n l y
method o f c o n v e y i n g such an a s s u r a n c e w h i c h w i l l
s a t i s f a c t o r i l y meet t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e
situation
w o u l d b e t o g i v e i t by means o f R e s o l u t i o n s p a s s e d
e a r l y i n t h e F e w Y e a r by b o t h H o u s e s o f P a r l i a m e n t
which would o u t l i n e the i n t e n t i o n s of Parliament
a n d w o u l d make i t p l a i n t h a t a n a l l - I n d i a
Federation
is of their f i n a l
objective.
A. d e f i n i t i o n o f p o l i c y o f t h i s c h a r a c t e r a n d
made i n t h i s m a n n e r w o u l d h a v e t h e a d v a n t a g e
n o t o n l y o f a s s u r i n g I n d i a n s t h a t t h e r e w a s no
i n t e n t i o n of s t o p p i n g at " p r o v i n c i a l
autonomy ,
but a l s o of p r o t e c t i n g H i s M a j e s t y ' s
Government
a g a i n s t p o s s i b l e a t t e m p t s o f t h e new p r o v i n c i a l
Governments under Congress c o n t r o l t o shape
p o l i c y i n r e l a t i o n t o r e s p o n s i b l e government at
t h e C e n t r e en u n a c c e p t a b l e l i n e s .
3
(vii)
Meantime the Prime M i n i s t e r ' s statement
of
p o l i c j ' a t t h e end o f t h e C o n f e r e n c e i n w h i c h
l A t S ^ - a l i a t h i s l e g i s l a t i v e programme and t h e
c o n t e m p l a t e d R e s o l u t i o n p r o c e d u r e should be
a n n o u n c e d , s h o u l d r e i t e r a t e and r e a f f i r m ,
as
e x p r e s s i v e o f H i s M a j e s t y 3s p r e s e n t
Government?s
g e n e r a l p o l i c y , t h e D e c l a r a t i o n w h i c h wag made
a t t h e end o f t h e l a s t C o n f e r e n c e on J a n u a r y 1 3 ,
1931,
(vili)
I t v r o u l d b e an e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f t h e p l a n
thus i n d i c a t e d t h a t every e f f o r t should be
made t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e F e d e r a t i o n B i l l
is
ready f o r i n t r o d u c t i o n about the time the
rieifl p r o v i n c i a l , c o n s t i t u t i o n s c o m e i n t o
opero.tion, s i n c e a long i n t e r v a l between
t h e s e two e v e n t s w o u l d g i v e s c o p e f o r
possible
a c t i v i t i e s on t h e p a r t o f
provincial
Governments of the hind i n d i c a t e d above ?
But a " p r o v i n c i a l autonomy" B i l l passed n e x t
summer c o u l d n o t c o m e i n t o o p e r a t i o n
for
some m o n t h s l a t e r
s i n c e time would i n e v i t a b l y
b e r e q u i r e d t o work out t h e d e t a i l e d a r r a n g e ­
ments f o r f r a n c h i s e & C o
p r o v i s i o n f o r the
e n a c t m e n t o f w h i c h by O r d e r i n C o u n c i l . ,
Statutory Rules or other s i m i l a r procedure
w o u l d h a v e t o b e made i n t h e B i l l *
A n d by
t h e t i m e t h i s p r o c e s s i s c o m p l e t e d - say
b y t h e s p r i n g o r summer o f 1 9 3 3 sufficient
p r o g r e s s s h o u l d h a v e b e o n made w i t h t h e
preparations f o r a F e d e r a l B i l l to enable
i t s i n t r o d u c t i o n about that d a t e .
;
r
(ix)
In t h i s connexion the Prime M i n i s t e r
should
a l s o a n n o u n c e H i s M a j e s t y a Govorniru-nt * s
i n t e n t i o n to take immediate s t e p s to s e t
up t h e C o m m i t t e e s r e q u i r e d f o r
further
i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h e f r a n c h i s e and
c o n n e c t e d q u e s t i o n s and i n t o F e d e r a l
F i n a n c e ( f o r w h i c h two s e p a r a t e C o m m i t t e e s
a r c c o n t e m p l a t e d ) i n t i m e t o g e t them a t
work in I n d i a under the chairmanship o f
p r o m i n e n t p u b l i c men b y t h e m i d d l e o f
J a n u a r y and f o r r e n d e r i n g such a s s i s t a n c e
a s may b e n e e d e d t o s e c u r e a n e a r l y
settlement
of the problems which are d i v i d i n g the
P r i n c e s i n t e r se in r e l a t i o n to F e d e r a t i o n *
1
I f I t can b e a r r a n g e d w i t h t h e P r i n c e s
i t i s v e r y d e s i r a b l e t h a t the Committee
w h i c h i s t o recommend a m e t h o d o f
distribution
between the S t a t e s of t h e i r quota of seats
in the Federal L e g i s l a t u r e in the event of
t h e i r f a i l i n g t o r e a c h a g r e e m e n t among
1932, should also
t h e m s e l v e s by 31st M a r c h
b e d e s i g n a t e d a t c n o e s o t h a t i t may b e
a v a i l a b l e i n I n d i a f o r c o n s u l t a t i o n by t h e
m i d d l e o f January *
s
(x)
A B i l l to inaugurate " p r o v i n c i a l
autonomy"
w i l l n e c e s s i t a t e t h e e.doption o f means t o
r e m o v e t h e communal o b s t a c l e t o p r o g r e s s :
t h e d e c i s i o n must bs t a k e n i n t i m e t o
enable the Franchise Committee to r e c e i v e
i n s t r u c t i o n s b a s e d upon i t ?
R9
i)
T h e C o m m i t t e e recommend t h a t t h e P r i m e
i i i n i s t e r s s t a t e m e n t ou t h i s p o i n t
lines;­
s h o u l d h e f r a m e d on t h e f o l l o w i n g
1
"H-J*.-..G:.-, h a v e
made i t c l e a r f r o m
the s t a r t that they regard the
communal p r o b l e m as o n e w h i c h must
themselves,
be s o l v e d by I n d i a n s
.4 d e c i s i o n o r uw&rd i m p o s e d a b e x t r a
w o u l d be no s u b s t i t u t e f o r , a n d " i n
no way e q u i v a l e n t t o , a s e t t l e m e n t
the existence
by m u t u a l a g r e e m e n t '
o f d i s a g r e e m e n t i s an o b s t a c l e t o
s e 1 f -r- g o v e m m en t o
But H . L - I . G o , w h i l e they cannot f o r
t h e s e reasons impose a s e t t l e m e n t
as a permanent b a s i s f o r a C o n s t i ­
t u t i c n , are determined not to allow
the f a i l u r e of the M i n o r i t i e s
C o m m i t t e e t o b a r t h e way t o p r o g r e s s .
Time p r e s s e s ; f o r t h e F r a n c h i s e
C o m m i t t e e c a n n o t b e s e t up w i t h o u t
a m a n d a t e on t h i s q u e s t i o n .
Unless
the F r a n c h i s e Committee s t a r t s i t s
work e a r l y in January i t
cannot
complete i t in time f o r the Intro-­
d u c t I on o f a B i l l i n t h e e a r l y
summer a n d i f i t s w o r k i s n o t c o m ­
p l e t e before the hot woathor,
there
w i l l be a y e a r ' a d e l a y ;
again, unless
the B i l l be introduced in the e a r l y
summer i t c a n n o t b e p a s s e d t h i s y e a r .
They p r o p o s e t h e r e f o r e , u n l e s s t h e
C o m n r v m l t i e s c a n r e a c h en a g r e e d
settle­
ment amongst t h e m s e l v e s by t h e 3 1 s t
January n e s t ( i n which c a s e
H J L G .
c o u l d o f c o u r s e adopt i t ) t o t a k e as
the working basis of tho B i l l
(and of
the i n s t r u c t i o n s to t h e F r a n c h i s e
Committee) the f o l l o w i n g
principles,
w h i c h a r e d e s i g n e d t o mai.nts.in a s
n e a r l y as p o s s i b l e the e x i s t i n g
p o s i t i o n , s u b j e c t t o such
adjustments
as a r e r e q u i r e d t o meet t h e f a c t s
of the s i t u a t i o n - including the
p r o v i s i o n of adequate
representation
by s e p a r a t e e l e c t o r a t e s f o r t h e D e ­
pressed Classes in those provinces
where the F r a n c h i s e Committee f i n d
them t o oe a d i s t i n c t e l e m e n t i n t h e
populationo
T h e B i l l w o u l d make
provision f o r the substitution of
any a g r e e m e n t a r r i v e d a t w i t h t h e
support of a l l tho communities
a f f e c t e d subsequently to the B I l l s
enactment"o
v
T h e p r o p o s e d s e t t l e m e n t , w o u l d t h e n "be
e l a b o r a t e d on t h e l i n e s o f p a r a g r a p h 11 o f
t h e Memorandum R T C ( 3 1 ) 1 1 - i n p a r t i c u l a r ,
i t would follow? as r e g a r d s the d i s t r i b u t i o n of
s e a t s i n the Punjab the Government o f
India s
f i r s t p r o p o s a l i n t h e i r Reforms Despatch and
a s i m i l a r p r i n c i p l e v/ould b e a d o p t e d i n B e n g a l i
0
n
1
(xii)
The Committee recommend t h a t t h e announcement
o f i n t e n t i o n s i n r e l a t i o n t o p r o v i n c i a l autonomy
s h o u l d i n c l u d e a s an e s s e n t i a l , f e a t u r e i n i t an
announcement r e g a r d i n g the f u t u r e o f t h e N o r t h
T e s t F r o n t i e r P r o v i n c e and S i n d on t h e l i n e s
in­
d i c a t e d i n p a r a g r a p h 10 ( i i )
( p 4 ) of the
S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e s Memorandum R T C ( 5 1 ) 1 1 .
a
!
(xiii)
0
0
e
Since the draft Federation B i l l w i l l
necessarily
c o n t a i n d e c i s i o n s o n many p o i n t s o f t h e f i r s t im-­
p o r t a n c e which have e i t h e r not t e e n discussed at
the Conference at a l l o r i f discussed have r e ­
s u l t e d i n d i f f e r e n c e o f vie?/, i t i s e s s e n t i a l t h a t
some o p p o r t u n i t y s h o u l d h e e n s u r e d t o I n d i a n
o p i n i o n t o e x e r c i s e i t s e l f e f f e c t i v e l y on t h e s e
q u e s t i o n s b e f o r e t h e B i l l i s c o n s i d e r e d "by
Parliament.
For t h i s purpose a small Committee
might be s e l e c t e d from the Conference, and p r o ­
v i n c i a l o p i n i o n m i g h t a l s o "be D r o u g h t t o D e a r
i n the shape o f a body of M i n i s t e r s .
This
c o n s u l t a t i v e b o d y s h o u l d D e summoned t o L o n d o n i n
due c o u r s e t o d i s c u s s t h e d r a f t o f t h e F e d e r a t i o n
B13-1 w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f H i s M a j e s t y s G o v e m ­
mentc
I t may De f o u n d t h a t s i m i 3 . a r c o n s u l t a t i o n
w o u l d De u s e f u l f o r t h e P r o v i n c i a l B i l l
1
0
(xiv)
F i n a l l y , as regards procedure at the Conference,
i t was a g r e e d t h a t t h e m e e t i n g o f t h e M i n o r i t i e s
C o m m i t t e e summoned f o r F r i d a y n e x t s h o u l d De
f o l l o w e d by p l e n a r y m e e t i n g s o f t h e C o n f e r e n c e ,
T h e f i r s t o f t h e s e m i g h t D e summoned f o r M o n d a y
n e x t a n d w o u l d De d e v o t e d t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e
Reports of the F e d e r a l Structure Committee,
It
w a s f u r t h e r a g r e e d t h a t i t was d e s i r a b l e t h a t a n
o p p o r t u n i t y s h o u l d De g i v e n t o I n d i a n D e l e g a t e s
t o e x p r e s s t h e i r vj.ews on t h e n a t u r e a n d e x t e n t o f
the l i m i t a t i o n s t o be s e t t o r e s p o n s i b l e
government
w i t h a F e d e r a l C o n s t i t u t i o n i n the shape o f
R e s e r v a t i o n s and s a f e g u a r d s , b u t t h a t t h i s
debate
shou3.d De c l o s e l y c o n t r o l l e d b y c l o s u r e a n d t i m e ­
l i m i t s f o r speeches,,
The C o n f e r e n c e w o u l d t h e n
c o n c l u d e w i t h a s t a t e m e n t Dy t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r o n
D e h a i f o f H i s M a j e s t y ' s Government on t h e
lines
i n d i c a t e d a b o v e a n d e v e r y e f f o r t s h o u l d D e made
t o conduct t h e p r o c e e d i n g s so t h a t t h i s
statement
c a n De made n o t l a t e r t h a n S a t u r d a y 2 1 s t N o v e m b e r .
I n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n i t w i l l h a v e t o De r e c o g n i s e d
t h a t much D i t t e r n e s s w i l l De c a u s e d i f t h e l a r g e
n u m b e r o f d e l e g a t e s who w i l l w i s h t o s p e a k a t
t h e P l e n a r y a r e d e n i e d an o p p o i - t u n i t y o f d o i n g so ,
t
To
summarise,
to
the
Cabinet
the
to
the
Conferences
the Cabinet
adoption
of
the
Committee
fpiloting,
recommend
in
relation
­
(a)
That the C o n f e r e n c e should be t e r m i n a t e d
as s o o n a s p o s s i b 3 . e w i t h a s t a t e m e n t
of
p o l i c y and programme b y t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r
on b e h a l f o f H i s M a j e s t y ' s Government on
the f o l l o w i n g
lines:-
(o)
T h a t H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t a d o p t as t h e i r
g e n e r a l p o l i c y t h e s t a t e m e n t made a t t h e e n d o f
t h e C o n f e r e n c e b y t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r on J a n u a r y
1 9 t h , 1 9 3 1 , and t h a t t h e y i n t e n d t o
invite
b o t h H o u s e s o f P a r l i a m e n t e a r l y i n t h e Hew Y e a r
to r e g i s t e r t h e i r formal acceptance of
this
p o l i c y b y means o f R e s o l u t i o n s ,
(c)
T h a t a B i l l t o p r o m o t e p r o v i n c i a l autonomy
w i t h a p p r o p r i a t e changes i n the powers of the
and. w i t h a c o n s t i t u t i o n and f i n a n c i a l
Centre
s e t t l e m e n t f o r the North West F r o n t i e r
P r o v i n c e which w i l l g i v e i t the status of
a G o v e r n o r ' ' s P r o v i n c e and p o s s i b l y a s e p a r a t e
p r o v i n c i a l constitution f o r Sind, w i l l be
i n t r o d u c e d and p a s s e d n e x t y e a r ,
s
Whitehall
(d)
T h a t i t s h o u l d b e made p l a i n b o t h i n t h e
S t a t e m e n t and t h e R e s o l u t i o n s t h a t t h i s i s
only the f o r e r u n n e r of a F e d e r a t i o n B i l l which
w i l l b e p r e s s e d on t o c o m p l e t i o n a t t h e
earliest possible date,
(e)
That the Committees r e q u i r e d f o r the purpose
) f b o t h B i l l s s h o u l d b e s e t up a s s o o n a s may
be under the Chairmanship o f prominent p u b l i c
men f r o m t h i s c o u n t r y ,
(f)
T h a t I n d i a n o p i n i o n s h o u l d b e c o n s u l t e d on t h e
f i n a l proposals f o r both B i l l s before they are
considered by Parliament, the
consultative
b o d y b e i n g drawn i n p a r t f r o m a Committee o f
t h e C o n f e r e n c e and i n p a r t f r o m p r o v i n c i a l
mini s t e r s.
(g)
T h a t a communal d e c i s i o n s h o u l d , i f
necessary,
b e a d o p t e d b y H i s M a j e s t y " s Government on t h e
b a s i s f o r the o p e r a t i o n s of the Franchise
C o m m i t t e e and o f t h e p r o v i n c i a l
Bill;
that
i t s s c o p e and d e t a i l s s h o u l d b e announced a s
p a r t of the Prime M i n i s t e r ' s statement with
the i n t i m a t i o n that i t w i l l be adopted only i f
the communities f a i l themselves to produce
an a g r e e d s e t t l e m e n t b y J a n u a r y 5 1 s t , 1 9 3 2 .
Gardens,
12th November,
So \ 7 . 1 , ,
1931.
T O ­