Sir Fazl-i-Hussain again

THE re-appointment of Sir Fazl-i-Hussain as Education Minister in Punjab immediately on his relinquishing the portfolio in the Government of India which he held for three months during the absence on leave of Sir Mahomed Habibulla, though not unexpected, raises more than one question to which an honest answer is called for from those responsible for these appointments. The first question which the public is entitled to ask is, on what principle and for what reason was Sir Fazl-i-Hussain made or permitted to vacate the ministership to assume another office for just three months? It was not as if this could be or was effected without any disturbance of the arraignments in this Province. In order to be able to accept the membership of the Viceroy’s Council Sir Fazl-i-Hussain had not only to vacate the ministerial portfolio but to resign his seat in the Legislative Council. A notification had to be issued by the Gazette calling for a by-election in his constituency. A candidate had to be found for the constituency who, if elected, would be ready to resign his seat the moment Sir Fazl-i-Hussain chose to come back, and the farce of an election had to be gone though. As regards the ministership, a person who had only a short time before being elected President of the Legislative Council had to vacate that office and to be pitch-forked into the ministerial office on the distinct understanding that he should hold the office only during the absence of Sir Fazl-i-Hussain and should relinquish it as soon as Sir Fazl-i-Husain’s term of office as an ordinary member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, came to a close.