If I may reply to my Hon’ble friend that is exactly the purpose of this Resolution. If there are differences of opinion between various representatives of the States, we know, Sir, that differences of opinion exist in this Assembly as between various sections of the people of India, as well as States and the people of British India. This Resolution proposes to set up a body, in whom we have confidence, and it will deal with the representatives of the States who have been elected or selected to a Negotiating Committee. It is precisely because this house cannot be expected to enter into negotiations with the Rulers and representatives of the people of States that this small committee has been proposed. Mr. Chairman, Sir, I am here to support the Resolution as it stands and oppose all the amendments that have been moved. Most of the points made have been met by speakers who preceded me and I am not going to repeat them. I want to draw the attention of the House to one particular factor, and that is, the limit within which this Committee is expected to work. In doing so, I would like to draw attention of the Hon’bleMembers to the exact wording in paragraph 19(ii) of the Cabinet Plan. You will be pleased to observe that this Committee is to enter into negotiation with the Negotiating Committee which has already been selected by the States or is likely to be selected. The wording is, “the method of selection will have to be determined by consultation“. It is very likely that the word ‘selection’ will have to be interpreted in several different ways. The States representatives may probably place a different interpretation from the one we may put on it and so on. So, it is no good tying the hands of this Committee one way or the other or insisting on a particular method of representation. We must leave it to the negotiators. So, I also submit, Sir, that Mr. Somnath Lahiri’s amendment directing what the Committee should do is out of order, because actually it negatives the Resolution as a whole. When we want a committee to act in a particular way it will cease to be a negotiating committee because it will have really to carry out a pre-determined dictate of our own. We cannot afford to antagonise many sections of the people of India, and in spite of the feeling in this House that the representatives of the people of the States alone are entitled to speak to us, we will have to approach the subject cautiously and this Committee will have to work very cautiously. We should not prejudge or prejudice the issue at this stage, and the Committee should be left to itself to determine what is the best method of attaining the object in view and serving the interests of the people of India as a whole and those of the States people. If we want to comment on their decisions there will be ample opportunity as Panditji has assured us, for this House to place our opinion before this House. So, I submit that the House should pass the Resolution and that the amendments moved should be withdrawn.
