The Money-Lenders’ Bill

THE passing of the Money-Lenders’ Bill by the Punjab Legislative Council marks a stage in the evolution of communalism in this province which it is impossible for any patriotic Indian, let alone the classes and communities directly affected by the measure, to contemplate without the deepest regret. It is the first important measure since the inauguration of the Reforms of which it can be definitely said, as has, indeed, been said again and again both in the Council and in the Press, that it is communal in its very inception, no less than in its scope and its sure effect. It is also the first important measure during the same period in respect of which the official members have definitely and unequivocally made common cause with the non-Muslim members as against the non-Muslim element both in the Council and the province generally. Dr Gokal Chand Narang did not in the least exaggerate matters when he said that the passing of the measure should give the Hindus and Sikhs seriously to think as to their real position. Much ingenuity was exhibited both by the mover of the Bill and by some of his supporters, especially Sir Fazl-i-Hussain, in their effort to make out that the Bill was not a communal measure. It was, to quote a hackneyed saying, only a case of the lady protesting too much. Sir Fazl-i-Hussain, indeed, went so far as to misquote the authority of Raja Narendranath in support of his contention, and the Raja had immediately to correct him by pointing out that when he had described the Bill as a class measure, he had meant exactly what others meant by calling it a communal measure.