The government and the Hindus

HIS Excellency the Governor of Punjab made some interesting remarks regarding the position of Hindus in this province and the government attitude towards them in the course of his reply to the address presented recently by the people at Jhang. He said: “The Hindu Sabha voices its impression that the government looks on Hindus with disfavour; the Hindu Zamindars assert that the legislation now on our statute book is working to their ruin and that the government is now showing in this respect that solicitude to their wellbeing which they have a right to expect.” His Excellency has, indeed, put the grievances of the Hindus in the mildest form, whereas everyone knows that the Hindus of the province have serious grievances. His Excellency has, since he assumed charge of his high office, visited nearly all the districts and studied the present condition of all classes and communities. He must have heard a great deal about the disabilities under which the Hindus have been suffering. It is not true that their complaints merely amount to receiving no favours from the government. The Hindus have not based their demands on securing favours or preferential treatment. They have generally claimed justice which involves neither favour to them nor disfavour to others. His Excellency, in reply to Hindu demands, observed: “I should be sorry, indeed, to think that it could be possible for anyone to produce any proof that the government eyes your community with disfavour.”