HC Deb 30 July 1935 vol 304 cc2597-8

Lords Amendment: In page 185, line 39, at the end, insert: (13) Nothing in this section shall be construed as derogating from the special responsibility of the Governor-General or of a Governor for the safeguarding of the legitimate interests of minorities.

9.14 p.m.

Mr. BUTLER

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

The object of the Amendment is to ensure that the Clause as drafted cannot be construed as absolving the Governor-General or the Governor from his duty in regard to safeguarding minorities in respect of anything done in virtue of the proviso to Sub-section (2) under the Punjab Land Alienation Act or similar legislation, if the effect of such legislation would in his opinion result to the detriment of a minority. It is to prevent the interests of minorities being hurt by the operation of a law of that sort that the Amendment is made.

9.15 p.m.

Duchess of ATHOLL

While we are all anxious to see minorities protected in their rights we must remember that in this instance the minority which objects to the Land Alienation Acts is a minority of very powerful people. The minority which objects to the Land Alienation Acts are those to whom a majority, that is, the great mass of the cultivators are in debt. The "Statesman" recently reported that a meeting was held in the Punjab to protest against the policy of preventing land alienation. It was attended by a large number of persons, including leading members of an important minority in that Province, and strong feeling was shown. The meeting went so far as to say that if this policy, which had been carried out largely under British influence, was continued, if goods had to be purchased outside India they would prefer that they should be purchased in any country rather than in Great Britain. That does not show a very suitable spirit of citizenship and I hope that the Amendment does not mean that there is going to be any weakening on the part of the authorities in India in protecting the peasant from men who can make things extremely difficult for him and who are likely to have more power in the future than they have had in the past.