Mr. President, Sir, I feel that as a Member of the Minority Sub-Committee and also of the Advisory Committee I should say a few words on the Report. I might tell you that some of the issues were of a highly controversial character. Some of them.involved argument and counter argument not only for hours but sometimes for days. But all the deliberations were conducted in the best traditions of generosity on both sides. It was not always an easy matter to cross words successfully with an able and almost incredibly tenacious lawyer like Mr. Munshi. There were many points of view. Some people were guided quite understandingly from their points of view by unalloyed principles, Others were fortunately more realistic and more statesmanlike in their approach. So far as the interest of my community are concerned, I feel that I have to offer a special word of appreciation. and thanks to those members who approached our problems in an attitude of realism, particularly to Sardar Patel. We from our side did everything we possibly could to come to an agreed solution which I am glad to say, we did arrive at ultimately. I feel I must express–the appreciation and the thanks of my Community to those who realised the special needs of the Anglo-Indian community, and ultimately gave them shape in the report of the Advisory Committee. This report, Sir, represents a happy augury for the future. I have always been one of those who felt that we must modify our principles to suit realities. The path of statesmanship is the path of compromise. I am glad that statesmanship and a sense of realism were brought to bear on our proceedings and were infused into them by Sardar Patel. By being generous–that is what the majority community was in fact–by adopting an attitude of magnanimity. to the minorities, you have helped to efface the fear that the needs and the points of view of the minorities would not be considered. By that act of statesmanship you have helped to harness completely the loyalty of the minorities to the tasks of nation-building which face us.
