BOTH ARE MAKING A SERIOUS MISTAKE 341
Parliament embodying provisions agreed upon by the important elements in the national life of British India. There is no other way.
“There is a third fault in the C. R. formula. It relates to the provision for a treaty between Pakistan and Hindustan to safeguard what are called matters of common interest such as defence, foreign affairs and customs. Here again Mr. Rajagopalachari does not seem to be aware of obvious difficulties.
“One does not mind very much that the talks failed. What one feels sorry for is that the talks failed without giving us a clear idea of some of the questions about which Mr. Jinnah has been observing some discreet silence in his public utterances, though he has been quite outspoken in his private talks.
Questions to be clarified
“These questions are :—
(1) Is Pakistan to be conceded because of the resolution of the Muslim League ?
(2) Are the Muslims, as distinguished from the Muslim League, to have no say in the matter ?
(3) What will be the boundaries of Pakistan ? Whether the boundaries will be the present administrative boundaries of the Punjab and Bengal or whether the boundaries of Pakistan will be ethnological boundaries ?
(4) What do the words subject to such territorial adjustments as may be necessary which occur in the Lahore resolution mean ? What were the territorial adjustments the League had in mind?
(5) What does the word ‘finally’ which occurs in the last part of the Lahore resolution mean ? Did the league contemplate a transition period in which Pakistan will not be an independent and sovereign State ?
(6) If Mr. Jinnah’s proposal is that the boundaries of eastern and western Pakistan are to be the present administrative boundaries, will he allow the Scheduled Castes, or, if I may say so, the Non-Muslims in the Punjab and Bengal to determine by a plebiscite whether they wish to be included in Mr. Jinnah’s Pakistan, and