x Be OL Ni THE MODERN REVIEW (A Monthly Review and Miscellany) EDITED BY VOL. LVII. NUMBERS 1 TO 6 JANUARY TO JUNE 1935 THE MODERN REVIEW OFFICE E 120-2, UPPER CIRCULAR ROAD, CALCUTTA —+ 3 Annual Subscription in India> Rs. 8-8; Foreign Rs. 11-0.POEMS es By RABINDRANATH TAGORE My heart sigs at the wonder of my place a . in this world of light and life ; at the feel in my pulse of the rhythm of creation cadenced by the swing of the endless time. T feel the tenderness of the grass in my forest walk, . the wayside flowers startle me : that the gifts of the infinite are strewn in the dust wakens my song in wonder. ’ T have seen, have heard, have lived ; id’ the depth of the known have felt the truth that exceeds all knowledge which fills my heart with wonder and I sing. You have drunk the draught of songs that I poured for you, 5 and accepted the garland of my woven dreams, My heart straying at the wilderness was ever touched by the pain that was your own touch. When my days are done, my leave-taking hushed La , in a final silence My voice will linger in the autumn light and rain-laden clouds f with the message that we had met. iG Have you come at last to my door to seck me out with that call of yours which fills the naked branches with tumult of flowers . + and invokes secret life ott of the veil of dust, “ é . * which finds a sudden answer inf the dark pty Arte ne fromthe young dawn carrying a wreath of light é ~ Toundher dusky hair ® ari THE SEPARATION OF SINDH By NAGENDRANATH GUPTA * af VER since the annexation of Sindh by main facts that have to be borne prominently the British it has formed part of the in mind are first that India has had no’ share Bombay Presidency. The Commis- sioner in Sindh, the chief administra- tive officer of the Province, has been vested with larger powers than the other Commis- sioners of the Presidency and is entitled to a salute. In certain matters he exercises the powers of a local Goverfment ; in others he is subordinate to the Bombay Government, Several decades*ago there used to be fugitive agitations and paper controversies for the » transference of Sindh to the Panjab, but these were vigorously and even bitterly opposed by the people and public of Sindh and were at no time seriously entertained by the Goyern- sment of India. Now for the first time since the acquisition of Sindh by the present Government it is seriously proposed to make Sindh a separate administrative unit under a Governor in Council, with a Legislative Council, an independent cadre of the’ publie service, a separate University and all the other requisites of a new province. This proposal is an outcome of the new scheme of Federation which is to mark the next vonstitutional advance of India. With * the complicated details of this scheme we are not concerned at present. For the last two decades ¢he prevailing idea has been to give India a constitution of its own within the Empire. Royal Commissions on which Tndia has hid no representation have been appointed after each decennial term to decide the next step that should be taken and the ultimate decision has taken the shape of an Act of Parliament. On the last occasion the Royal Commission over which Sir John Simon presided submitted a report which gave rise to a bitter controversy and had to be shelvad. “Round’ Table Conferences” to which the “represcntatives’ of the, people” and Princes of India were ingited in a consuliative capacity were held in Londou. There were no prepocitions and no voting. The two “gad _rebelliousness. in deciding the constitution that is being laid down for her; it is being imposed on ber from*outside. Secondly, the ostensible aim of the constitution is to conciliate India and India has not been reconciled. Similarly, it has never been fully and impartially considered whether the creation of Sindh into a new separate province will be to its advantage and in its own interest. These are apparently minar details over- shadowed by the inaguificent idea of Federa- tion, Tn a prophetic dreafn, part’ of which has been most remarkably fulfilled, the peat Tennyson dreamed of a time whan hé heard Far along the world-wide whisper of the Sonth wind rushing warm, ‘With the standards of the peoples plunging through the thunder-storm ‘Tin the war-dram fhrobb'd no. longer and the battle-flags were furled Tn the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world. ~ Is the proposed Federation of the yarious Provinces and States of India a step towards the fulfilment of this prophecy? That is searcely likely, for a federal arrangement must be founded upon mutual agreement, but there is no such agreement either in India or between England and India. Indla has merely to accept the constitution and arrange- ment laid down by England. The essence of Federation is absent. For real federation we have to look to the United "states ‘of America where the muthal agreement is real and there is” no*inrposition of,terms by any paramount power outside. *A Feder:tion is conceivable between England and Colonies like Canada and, Anstralia, which do not submit to dictation by the parent country. The position pf India is wholly dierent. She cannot take independent -attion 3 equally helps the Mussalmari. Could. tie two communities have lived together for “hundreds of years, sharing one another’s joys and sorrows, if there had been perpetual hos@llity between them? Who ever heard of com- munalism in Sindh fifty years ago? > And now the grim and sinister spectro of communalism is stalking over this ancient land filling it with strife and bitterness. Neither the Hindus nor the Mussalmans are primarily responsible for this lamentable state of affairs. There is some other cause for the strained relations between the two largest and most important communities in India, which have lived at peace with each other for centuries and between whom there is the strongest community of interests., No advance- ment is possible if a perpetual state of feud exists between the two communities. The difference of religion is no bar to the growth of a common nationalism. Hindus and, Mnussalmans have to live together, to work together, to strive together, to achieve together and to attain their destiny together. United there is nothing that they may not hope tor win ; divided they are certain to lose every- thing. The entire fature of India is being jeopardized by this bane of communalismn. Among a people which should be one and indivisible, one in thought and aspiration and striving, the dividing factor of ratios has been introduced. One hears of nothing but minorities and majorities, It is assumed aga fact beyond question that the interests ‘of minorities are not safe in the keeping of * majorities and the interests of majorities should not be entrusted to minorities. This feeling of insecurity and the attitude of suspiciousness are sedulously promoted by the system of representation, the creation of communal electorates, the elaborate devices for safe guarding the interests of minorities. What + is the real cause of Hindus and Mussaléhans taking different views of the proposal to create Sindh a separate Province? It is nothing more or less than the sordid thdught of the divisions of loaves and fishes, the humiliating seramble-for thé crumbs that may fall from > the muster’s table. Thes Hindus apprehend that under the new regime all prizes will go > to the-Mussalman majority. The Legislative Council Wilk have a pergetnal “and large