The points that I am making may seem at first sight to be so obvious that it may appear somewhat improper to put them in the Constitution. I am free to admit, however, that, for instance, the first item in my amendment seems to be of that category, namely ability to read or write and express himself in the English language. At the present time, Sir, however, constituted as we are, and with the absence of a national language of our own, it is important that members should be able to exchange, in some sort of a common medium of intercourse, their ideas on crucial matters in the Constitution or in any piece of legislation, or other legislative work that may come before Parliament hereafter. Judging from that point of view, and without wanting to provide that English should for ever continue to be the medium of intercourse of this country, or over this Sub-Continent, I think it but right to require that, unless persons who choose to be or who are elected to be members of either House of Parliament, are able to express themselves in some common language that others of their fellows may understand, it would be improper, it would be against the interest of the country to do so.
