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714 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
COPY OF TELEGRAM DATED 26 TH DECEMBER, 1932
WLT Ambedkar, Indian Conference, London.
Bengal Depressed Classes accept Poona Settlement so do Hindus Council Hindus representation malafide perverse.—M ULLICK .
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Dr. B. S. Moonje, Mr. B. C. Chatterjee, Mr. J. Bannerjee, Mr. G. A, Gavai, Rai Saheb Meherchand Khanna, Mr. R. M. Deshmukh, Mr. Bhai Parmanand and Pandit Nanak Chand, on behalf of the Hindu Mahasabha
*8813. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I just want to ask one or two questions of Dr. Moonje, to start with. Dr. Moonje, you have been asked certain questions by Sir Nripendra Sircar about the meeting that was called by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in Bombay to discuss what could be done with regard to the question that was raised by the fast of Mahatma Gandhi. I just want to ask you one or two questions in order to bring out the details. You were present at the first conference which took place in Bombay under the presidency of Pandit Malviya on 19th September 1932.
Dr. Moonje : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : At that meeting, as you know, a small SubCommittee was appointed ?
Dr. Moonje : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Consisting of the representatives of the Depressed Classes and of the caste-Hindus, including Mr. Jayakar, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and others ?
Dr. Moonje : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : That Sub-Committee went over to Poona to discuss the question ?
Dr. Moonje : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Because they thought it would be very desirable to be near Mahatma Gandhi when the matter was being discussed. The Poona Pact was arrived at Poona as a result of the deliberations of the Sub-Committee, in agreement with Mahatma Gandhi ?
Dr. Moonje : Yes.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Then the main Hindu Committee which had appointed this Sub-Committee met again in Bombay on the 25tb September ?
Dr. Moonje : It may be. I was not present
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : At that meeting the Pact was put to the vote and passed : is that not so ?
Dr. Moonje : I am glad that Dr. Ambedkar has given me an opportunity of explaining all the details.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Do you know that of your own knowledge ?
Dr. Moonje : I can give the details which I, personally, know.
*Minutes of Evidence, Vol. II-C, 31st July 1933, pp. 1425-34.