THE RIGHTS OF INDIANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1922, Page 2

THE RIGHTS OF INDIANS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —With the greatest of amusement on the ignorance of the writer, I read the aboveheaded article in your editorial columns of this morning’s issue. On behalf of India, as it is already accepted by Mr. Sastri in the last Imperial Conference that all the Dominions have full rights to choose their own citizens, it is no need for the writer to point out that ‘‘The first point which Mr. Sastri ha?, to realise is the right of each of the countries comprising the British Commonwealth to admit or reject such people as it considers eligible or ineligible, and in such numbers as may be deemed advisable.” Now,, no sane Indian is desirous to see any Dominion flooded by Indians against the will of its people, but what we demand is that we, Indians, being British subjects, who are already legally settled in the Dominions, must have the same rights as other British subjects. This principal was accepted by Mr. Massey and other Prime Ministers, except General Smuts, at the last Imperial Conference. Even a man like Mr. Winston Churchil), the ex-Mln-Ister of the Colonies, made an important statement in his lecture at the East African dinner in London that "India has entered the Empire as a partner, and we must be more careful to treat its citizens with the respect which was their due, and to shape the laws of the Empire or of any part of it in such a way as not needlessly to inflict invidious distinctions on its representatives.” Also, it must be realised that Indians, being British subjects, have more preference than Chinese or Japanese. After sacrificing her life and wealth to protect the liberty of England at the most critical moment in the last world war, India is considered as a. partner in the Empire, and if the Englishman is not ready yet to accept the Indian as his fellow-citizen, then the staunch Imperialist, like Mr. Sastri, will have to change his views and policy regarding this ‘‘great political organisation” of the modern times. There will be only one way for him and his associates, that is to join themselves up with the anti-British elements in India. Some "die-hards” say that India is not fit for self-government. What right has one nation to decide the fitness of the other nation? Self-determination is the birthright of every nation, and the Indians will not rest until they reach their goal. After over 150 years of British rule, India is worse than she was ever in her great and tragic history. Lack of education is appalling. The English people think that the democratic principles are good for the socalled Anglo-Saxons only. What is funda-« mentally true of one mass of humanity must be equally true of another mass, irrespective of caste, color or creed. Otherwise it cannot be called true at all. There can be no monopoly ; they are common to all humanity. Given the incentives all men possess the same aims, ambitions and aspirations. It is an absurdity that Indians are to reap and sow, to buy and sell, to labor and sweat, but not to govern. In his heart of hearts, every Indian prefers the rule of his own nationality, bad though It be, to the most Ideal rule of the alien.—-I am, etc., JELAL KALYANJI NATALI. New Plymouth, December 18.