z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-09.indd MK SJ+DK 21-9-2013 674
674 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Government will itself be provocative enough to arouse public opinion against you ?
Mr. W. H. Shoobert : Sir, we do not want to remain outside the control. We only want our existing accruing rights, our pensions and our family pensions secured. We do not wish to be outside the control in the very least.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Supposing, for instance, all the rights that may be agreed upon in this Conference as being legitimate rights of the Indian Civil Servants were guaranteed to you by Indian Legislatures by Acts passed by the Local and Central Legislatures. Would that give you sufficient protection ?
Sir P. J. Fagan : We are afraid of the financial situation.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : That is another matter : whether the Indian Legislature will be able to find the moneys on account of your services and other matters is another matter ?
Sir P. J. Fagan : Quite.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : But with regard to your conditions of service, what I want to press is, suppose they were regulated by the Acts of Indian Legislatures (by rules made by the Secretary of State in Council). Do you think that would give you adequate protection or not?
Sir P. J. Fagan : No.
Mr. W. H. Shoobert : Such Acts could be repealed by future extremist Governments.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Supposing some provision were made for that, that there would be no sudden repeal of an Act ?
Sir P. J. Fagan : I think I may say that the Associations would certainly not regard that as sufficient protection.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I want to make this point which you have made so much of, that there is so much hostility against you in India both on the part of the Press and the politician. Is not it the fact that you are asking for safeguards the result of which is to keep you entirely out of the purview of legitimate public opinion expressed in the Press as well as in the Legislature ?
Sir P. J. Fagan : No, I do not think it keeps us outside the purview. I should say certainly not. I certainly do not think that it would keep them out of the purview of healthy public opinion.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I want to put this question to you again : Do not you think that if you were under the control of laws made by the Indian Legislature with the consent of the Indian Ministers you would get far better protection from the Indian Ministers themselves when you are attacked in the Press or by the public than you are likely to get if you remain outside ?
Sir P. J. Fagan : No ; I do not think the Associations would take that view.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : You just now read some extracts from the