z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol1-04.indd MK SJ+YS 21-9-2013 261

47

*ON PARTICIPATION IN THE WAR : 3

The Honourable Mr. B. G. Kher : I shall try and finish as soon as you like.

Sir, I will not go over the entire ground which the honourable Doctor has covered. I agree with him : I concede the correctness of what he says about the wrongs done to Harijans, because it is not necessary for my purpose to deny all those instances of wrongs which are done to the members of his community in this country. Those indeed are the wrongs which we have tried to remedy to the best of our ability for a long, long time.

The honourable member did not say what the remedy was ; in that his long speech was lacking. As has been pointed out by other speakers, whether it is the judgment in the Sangamner case or the hundred and one cases which he has read out here, the only remedy is that we must have a proper form of government, and that form of government can only be democracy in this country with due safe-guards for the minorities—a point which we concede. Sir, we are thankful to the honourable member for pointing out to us that he did not say, like the Ulstermen, “Damn your safe-guards ; I do not want to be governed by you.” He was not going to say that, and I appreciate it. But I cannot appreciate the statement which he made—and which he believes in—in all sincerity. He said : “As between me and the country, the country has precedence.” I support him in this and I shall quote every word of what he has said. I have known the honourable member’s life and career intimately, and I can say that this is absolutely correct. He has always been willing to subordinate his personal advancement for the cause of the country. He goes on to say, “as between the depressed classes and the country, the depressed classes have precedence with him.”

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Certainly.

The Honourable Mr. B. G. Kher : He said that ; he does not deny that. My quarrel is with that statement of his. Because the part can never be greater than the whole. The whole must contain the part.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am not a part of the whole ; I am a part apart.

*B.L.A. Debates, Vol. 7, p. 2130, dated 27th October 1939.

��