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EVIDENCE : MR. SACHCHIDANANDA SINHA 679
say that the process of assimilating the conditions of the Civil Service to the responsible system of Government would be arrested ?
Mr. Sachchidananda Sinha : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I just want to ask you one question about this Central responsibility. You said in reply to a question by Sir Henry Gidney, that you were very keen on a date being fixed for the inauguration of the Federation ?
Mr. Sachchidananda Sinha : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : On the other hand, as you are aware, it is urged that it is impossible to fix any specific date, because there are so many elements of uncertainty, namely, that the Princes may not come in, within the time prescribed, and you know also that in order to avoid that there are certain transitory provisions enacted in the White Paper. Now what I want to suggest is this, because I am anxious to get your opinion upon this point : Suppose the Federation were started immediately with a nominated bloc in the Central Legislature, partly of officials and partly of non-officials, pending the admission or the entry of the requisite number of Princes, so that the Federation may not keep on hanging until the requisite number of Princes come, would you have objection to that sort of system ?
Mr. Sachchidananda Sinha : I can express no opinion offhand, but the matter may be considered and examined. It is worth examining.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I want to get this point clear. I suppose you do not agree with the position that Federation of British India with the Indian Princes is a condition precedent to responsibility at the Centre ?
Mr. Sachchidananda Sinha : I do not desire to express any opinion. because I understand the proposals outlined in the White Paper were agreed to at the Round Table Conference.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : What I am putting is this : Speaking apart from the White Paper, you do not say, or you do not agree, that British India can have Central responsibility only on one condition, that there shall be Federation ?
Mr. Sachchidananda Sinha : No, not apart from the White Paper.
Mr. Butler : Before we proceed further, my Lord Chairman, may I say that we cannot accept the interpretations given in these questions and answers of the present Government of India Act, in particular the limitations which have been assumed under the Instructions of the present Government, Clause VI and Section 52 of the present Government of India Act ?
(3)
Mir Maqbool Mahmood, Dr. P. K. Sen, Mr. K. M. Panikkar and Mr. B. Kak, on behalf of Chamber of Princes
*3000. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Arising out of these questions, I want to put
*Minutes of Evidence, Vol. II-A, 27th June 1933, pp. 372-76.