INDIAN REFORMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 481, 14 April 1909, Page 7

INDIAN REFORMS.

MOHAMMEDANS VERSUS HINDUS. MODE OF VOTING. (DV TELE.ORAPIr—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COrritIGIIT.) (R*c. April 13, 9.32 p.m.). Calcutta, April 13. There is a growing feeling of indignation among Mohammedans at the, Hindus' efforts to induce the British authorities to renounce the plan of separate electorates under the reform scheme.

MOHAMMEDANS' GRIEVANCES. The Mohammedans arc much in a'minority, and fear that they will be out-voted altogether by the. Hindus. The point was pressed on tho Secretary for India, Lord Morloy, by a Mohammedan deputation, and Lord Morloy held out a hope of the Government establishing separate electoral colleges for Mohammedans and Hindus instead of a joint electoral college. The idea of electoral colleges does not seem to impress the special correspondent of "The Times," who writes from Bombay:

"It cannot be said that the scheme of reforms, as at present projected, has given muoh satisfaction to the Mohammedans. They have thrown no bombs f nd organised no conspiracies, and they' are almost ready to think that they have suffered becduso, they have been passive anil loyal. As Ihey are in a minority'in overy province save tho Punjab and Eastern Bengal, they fear they will have very few rer.rcsent'itives anion;* the executive members of Council. Their position is, in their own belief, and in that, of most competent authorities, cquall" unfortunate- in regard to the Legislative Councils. Tho All-India Moslem League sounded a strong note of warning at its meeting at Amrilsar the other day. Tho president, Mr. Ali Imam, in n singularly able speech, pointed out that, -art from ethnic diversity of character, the Mohammedan and Hindu communities 'havo nothing in common to their .traditional, religious social, and political conceptions.' Except among Hindus, I have not. met in this city any ina.u, European or Indian, who does not declare that the system of electoral colleges is unworkable, and must be abandoned. Tho Mohammedans are strongly opposed to the selection of men for ox'ccutivo posts from the Congress party, because 'they have no counterpart to such men in their 'own ranks. The Mohammedans do not agitate. 'If by any evil oliance they are.taught that the way to high promotion is through successful political agitation, they are of too elemental n temperament toVonfine themselves very long to mere tub-thumping oratory.' That way dangqr lies."