z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-07.indd MK SJ+YS 21-9-2013/YS-8-11-2013 537
IN SUB-COMMITTEE NO. III 537
Chairman : In a case like that, if there is any doubt about it, I will take the opinion of the Committee and settle it Do you persist, Dr. Ambedkar ?
Dr. Ambedkar: I am afraid, Sir, I shall have to. My dissent might be noted, that I do wish that this should be made clear.
Chairman : There is a suggestion made that the word “distinction” should be substituted by the word “discrimination”, so that it will read “without discrimination as to race, caste” and so on.
Dr. Ambedkar: Yes, that would do it.
Chairman: That will be all right ?
Dr. Ambedker: That will be all right. I suggest at the end it should be “without discrimination”.
Chairman: Quite then would you make that alteration please. Then it will read without discrimination.
Dr. Ambedkar: Yes.
Chairman: That is a good amendment: the other, I think, would have been a bad one.
† Dr. Ambedkar: Sir, as I understand, paragraph 3 summarises the demand put by the different communities before this Committee.
Chairman : Yes.
Dr. Ambedkar: In view of that, I should like to suggest that the other demands made by the Depressed Classes specifically in their own interests, on account of the fact that their position differs somewhat from the position of the other minorities, should be added. I do not mean to say that they should be added as an accepted proposition by this Conference, but for the sake of completeness those demands should be put in. I would therefore suggest the addition of the following paragraph to this paragraph after the word “rights” : “The Depressed Classes also urged that untouchability, with all its consequent disabilities, should be abolished by law, and that they should be guaranteed free and unfettered enjoyment of their rights ; and they also claim the right of appeal to the Governor-General and the Secretary of State in cases of prejudices or neglect of their interests.”
Chairman: But you see, in so far as these suggestions can be made workable, they will come in in the details that will have to be worked out.
Dr. Ambedkar: I quite see that.
Chairman: Partly legislative and partly administrative.
Dr. Ambedkar: But what I would like to say is this, that in view of the fact that the paragraph tries to summarise what was put before this Committee by the different communities, what was put by the Depressed Classes, as something specifically for themselves, apart from what other communities needed, ought to come in by way of completion.
Chairman: But it says “without discrimination” and so on.
† Proceedings of the Sub-Committee No. III (Minorities), pp. 133-35.