The reforms enquiry

Lahore, Sunday, August 10, 1924

THE examination of the very first witness who appeared before the Reforms Enquiry Committee conclusively showed the utter impossibility of confining the enquiry within the four walls of “the structure, the policy and the purposes of the Government of India”. That this was partly due to the character of the witness who describe himself in reply to a question as a whole-hogger is probably true, but it is much more largely due to the very nature of the case. The examination of the witness by several members showed that it was impossible to avoid putting questions on the main issue, the issue of a vital modification of the Constitution. Or to shut out replies urging such modification. Even the President, who by his training and experience, as well as by his close association with the Government point of view, might have been expected to adhere strictly to the scope of the enquiry as defined in the Government of India’s communique, was not able to avoid putting such questions himself or to prevent the witness from giving such replies. Referring, for instance, to the statement made by the witness in his memorandum that the difficulties experienced in the Central Provinces could be removed only by the grant of full responsibility, he asked whether “under the existing narrow electorate representatives of proper calibre to protect the interests of all classes could be returned.” This was going down to the real issue, and the reply which the witness gave was equally pointed. “Although,” he said, “non-co-operation had robbed the old Council of full representative character, the new Council contained the best men from the Province.”