SUB-Commlttee C UN REVISED 1
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SUB-COMMlTTEE C UN REVISED 1 JOINT COMMITTEE ON INDIAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MINUTES OF EVIDENCE taken before Sub-Committee C of the Joint Committee on INDIAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM Die Mercurii, 26° Julii, 1933 Ordeml by The House of Lords to be PrineJ 9th May, 1933 ~/ . .'" ....., .n',..t]\1\ Ordered by The House of Commons to be Pri 'JJ:. S ( 27th july, 1933 ' LONDON PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the f~llowiDc addresses Adastral House1 KiDgsway, Loadoa, W.C.a; s:ao, George Street, EdiDburch a York Strect, Manchester 1; 11 SL Andrew's Crescent, CardiJI 15, Donegall Squue Wc&t, Belfast or throuch any Bookseller 1933 Price IS. od. Net H.L. 79{n) H.C. I I 2(n) SUB-COMMITTEE C. DIE MERCURI!, -2&• JULII, 1933. Present: The MA!RQUESS of LOTHIAN in the Chair. Mr. Butler. Mr. Foot. Major The Hon. E. Cadogan. Sir Samuel Hoare. Mr. Cocks. Miss Pickford. Mr. Davidson. DBLBGATBS : Dr. Ambedkar. • Sir Hari Singh Gour. Begum E'hah Nawaz.· · Lady LAYToN, Mrs. 0. STBAoHBY and Sir PHILIP HARToG, are called in and · · · examined as follows : Marquess of Lothian, · tiona and Societies :r;nentioned in the Cl. Lady Layton,. are. you acting . as Memorandum ?-Yes. spokesman of . the Delegation ?-(Lady Layton.) Yes. .. C3 . .And certain other individuals? 02. You represent the list of .Associa- Yes. The Memorandum is as follows: MEMORANDUM 50. EVIDENCE ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH COM MITTEE FOR INDIAN WOMEN'S FR.ANCIDSE. Co]l[l'OSITION mr Co:u:mTTEE.' ., provisions of that new Constitution 1. The British Committee for· Indian . will have to be approved by Parlia Women's Franchise represents over two ment, and the responsibility for those million women voters of this ·oountry, provisions must rest ultimately on the belonging to · associations 'with widely electors, both men and women. differing aims, and including members (b) Our Committee feel a deep oon of all political parties. Besides associa cern and responsibility in regard to tions a number . of ·Members of Parlia the provisions speciftcailly affecting ment, both men and women, and others women, This is the only occasion on specially interested in the subject have !Which organised British women as joined the Committee. fully enfranchised citizens have had the opportunity of effectively in- We are united in our derire to register 11 uencing the destinies of the women in the &trongest terms our protest against of India. the inadequacy of the proposals of the (c) The' Women's Movemen~ has White Paper in regard to women'• : always been international in its out franchise, and to urge the Joint Select look, bringing together women of all Committee to· make recommendations countries working with similar aims which will oecure a ratio of women to and ideals, and thus fostering a feel men voter•, both for the Federal and ing of solidarity among women. But Provincial Legislatures, at least equal to between the women of ·Britain and the ratio of one woman to four and a--half the women of India the bond is par men propooed by the Indian Franchise ticularly close.· It is a bond, not omy Committee. · of aasociation under a. oommon 11ag for 100 years, but a bond strengthened REASONs I!'OB TBB BRITISH .Co:u:mTTEB's by the ties of love and friendship in SUPPORT 01!' THB C!.AI:U:S 01!' INDIAN common social and educational work. Wo:HEN .ro AN .AnEQUATB FBANomsa, · • British women have watched with 2. The reasons why our Committee feel sympathy and admiration the rapid impelled to take action in this matter progress of the Women's Movement can be very brie11y stated. in India, and are anxious to place (a) The problem of making a new at the service of the women of India Constitution for India is one which all the help that they can give from affects Britain as well as India. The their own wider political experienos. 20116 .AI 2 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE SUB-COMMITTEE C 26° Ju!ii, 1933.] [ Oontinmd. (d) The disabilities, legal and · ing tha 'Whole community, the influence social, from which the women uf of women voters has been most notice India still suffer, their lack of educa able in the increasing support given to tional opportunities, and tbe fact tanses such liB disarmament, housing and that for 150 years the government education, of India has been almost entirely in men's hands, make it imperative that lndion Women and the Fra...:hise. :women should be given adequate 5. It may be argued that advances for opportunity and power to express British women were spread over 11 long their views in the new Constitution. period and that the small measure of (e) It is the declared policy of . franchise proposed by the White Paper is· Government to see that the interests a fair instalment considering the present of all sections of India's population status of women in India. It has always are fairly represented, and our Com been brought up as an argument against mittee wish "to emphasise the fact the extension of the franchise to any new that for no section of the community category of voters in this country, and is this more necessary than for the no doubt in others, that they are not women of India. sufficiently educated, politically or other wise, Tbie argument does not take into . Brituh Women and the FroMhise. account the great strides 'Which the 8. Not many year!! have passed since women's movement in India has made the women of Great Britain achieved full during the last few yeal'8, stimulated very rights of citizenship. Every step thns largely by the political desire for national won--opportunities of education, the self-government. A generous measure of entry into learned professions, rights enfranchisement is the surest . way of affecting the statns of wives and mothers, directing these energies along constitu political rights-wu won after a long tional linea. Experience has shown that and ardnons struggle, to which the entire the moat thorough and effective method working lives of innumerable women were of providing political education is to give de~m.ed and on whicll ~ast au11Ul of money the actual reaponsibility of the vote. were expended. Especially during the Further, those members of ont Committee illosing year!! of the struggle, much bitter who have worked in India wish to endorse ness wsa engendered and many unhappy the statement of the Education Committe& incidents took place. 1t would be a of the Statutory Commission, that " The grave misfllrtune it ill lbdill, whete the innate intelligence of the Indian woman, work of womett ill matty fields of llooial her feeling of domestic responsibility, her and edncatlottal effort is so ilorely n:perience of household . management, tleeded, A similar struggl@ becam~ tleces make he!' shrewd, penetrating, wise ilaty. within her own spher~~. In all matten of educational and eocial reform, the 4. Members of our Oammittee realise how much the vote has meant to the counsel and the active work of women are easential both in administration and women of thil fiOUnt.y. U has served public affaira.'1 both aa a meana of self-]lrotsction and as lln oppertuniU, f<>l' bringing their in 6. The grave legal and eociai diaabilitiea fluence to bear for the benefit of be which Indian women have for yearo bsen 1th11le community, especially in the realm attempting to remove affeet the efficiency of M>cial welfare. With regard to their of the 1thole nation. Girls' education l>wn protel!ti<in, f11r instance,. it is note atill lags fat behind the boys' 1 the evil worthy, that during the first eighteen of child marriage ill otill rampant, )'11ars of this ilentnr1, only four Acts were maternal mortality ia terribly high, the passed nlating specially to the poaition of provision of medical aid for women totally WOmen, whereaa1 during the !line years inadequate, the lawa of inheritance in aftst their partial enfranchisement1 ecme equita.ble. At prese!lt th~ auin spent on 2!J Acts were pasaed dealing with ques girls' educatiott In Btltish lndiA is abont tions wch as the r4!1110't'al of liB* dia one-seventh of that spent on the educa abilities1 the admiuion of IWtllnen to Par tion llf boytt. · Althllugh ther6 ate eome liamen~, to the Bl!nch aild to the legal !!50,000 Wiltnl!tl fiiMoty ivllrkera thet& Ia PJ"?fesoton, ~·• to the ~ights of gnardian atill only one 'l\lomall l!'actort iuspectcr'. ohtp ?""r ehtldren, tiJ the poaitiott llf un Aa taatifled b' the llttanimons opinion of lllBrried mothers, to 'lridolti' lt.nd orphans' medical wollle11 ill India, 1>ery little pro pensiono, and 10 on. On queatiOIII affect- Ktesa c11.fi. be made ill providina adequate OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON INDIAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM 8 26° Julii, 1933.] [Continued. mellical .aid for women unless and uutil W omBn' • Fraaekue, · dome to proteri women admiuistrative medical officers are most etTongl!/ against tku modifioatioo appoiuted i.u each proviuce. of the FTGncki•e Comm.ittee'.• proposm, Ou such grouuds it is esseutial that un4 wroe tl•e Joint Select Committe• to - "Womeu should be placed iu a positiou to aecept Binr.ple lite'l"aily .., a qualification secure atteutiou to their ueeds from the f<>T the /Tanckiso /o'l" wom.e.. in ail pro very fouudatiou of the uew Coustitutiou ~ince•. If the obatacles alleged agaiust. aud doriug its most important formative 1t are admiuistrative, and theae can be years. The framing of a.