z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-06.indd MK SJ+YS 21-9-2013/YS-8-11-2013 437
SAFEGUARDS FOR DEPRESSED CLASSES 437
absorbed in Hinduism, many of whom are considered impure. We may confidently place the numbers of the depressed classes, all of whom are considered impure, at something between 55 and 60 millions in India proper. ..... ”
POPULATION OF THE DEPRESSED CLASSES IN INDIA
Provinces 000’s omitted Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 52,680 Assam .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,000 Bengal .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,000 Bihar and Orissa .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,000 Bombay .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,800 C. P. and Berar .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,300 Madras .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,072 Punjab .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,893 U.P. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,000 Baroda .. .. .. .. .. .. 177 Central India .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,140 Gwaliar .. .. .. .. .. .. 500 Hyderabad .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,339 Mysore .. .. .. .. .. .. 932 Rajputana .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,267 Travancore .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,260
This cautious and considered estimate of the Director of Census must supersede all guesses and surmises regarding the strength of the Depressed classes in the different Provinces of India. It destroys the validity of the estimate of Mr. Bajpai. For, it has been arrived at after scrutinizing the figures that have appeared in the Provincial Educational Reports which Mr. Bajpai says have formed the basis of his statement. Its correctness must be admitted. For, as the Director says it was arrived at after a deliberate investigation. The Sabha must therefore insist upon the Statutory Commission accepting these figures in preference to any other. According to this estimate the minimum strength of the Depressed classes in the Bombay Presidency is 28,00,000 souls or 10.8 p.c. of the total population. On the basis of their strength alone the Depressed classes are entitled to 15 seats out of a total of 140.
If the strength of a community was the only factor governing the extent of the representation to be granted to it, then the demand for the seven extra seats for the depressed classes would no doubt appear to be one for an unearned increment. It must however be recognised that the strength of the community cannot be taken as the sole factor in determining matters of this sort. The standing of a community is no less an important factor to be taken into account in determining its quota of representation. The standing of the community must mean its power to protect itself in the social struggle. That power would obviously depend upon the educational and economic status of the community. It follows from the recognition of the principle that the lower the standing of a community the greater is the electoral advantage it must get over the rest. There can be no two opinions that the standing