The community which is about 18 lakhs strong in the presidency and 6 crores in India stands perhaps next in rank to the Muslim population and it is extremely deplorable that, while Muslim interests are safeguarded by 5 or 6 members of the interim Government of India, numerous ministers in the various provinces and hundreds of members of legislation assemblies and other local institutions throughout the length and breadth of the country, this important industrial community can boast of not even one President District Board, not even one member of the legislative assembly, not to speak of any member of any Government.
