z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-09.indd MK SJ+DK 21-9-2013 718
718 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I do not accept that.
- Mr. M. R. Jayakar: May I ask a question, Dr. Moonje ? You were speaking about the Hindu Mahasabha accepting the Poona Pact at Delhi ?
Dr. Moonje: Yes.
- Mr. M. R. Jayakar: Do you mean to say that the Hindu Mahasabha accepted the Poona Pact, not on its merits, but because of the satisfaction that Mahatma Gandhi’s life was saved ?
Dr. Moonje : I have already said that when the Pact was being evolved I distinctly said that the principle under which the Pact was being evolved could be acceptable to me personally or to the Hindu Mahasabha as a whole because it was based on separate electorates.
Mr. Bhai Parmanand : May I add one word ? The Punjab Hindus have a similar feeling towards the Poona Pact as the Hindus of the Bengal. Raja Narendranath was opposed to it on the very day when the Hindu Mahasabha passed a resolution accepting it in a hurry. Within 48 hours of the acceptance of the Poona Pact at Bombay there was a Hindu protest in the open meeting. The Secretary of the Punjab Hindus also made a protest, and Dr. Gokalchand sent a Cablegram to the Premier here that the Punjab Hindus were opposed to it. The Hindu feeling is still opposed to it. There are articles in the newspapers, which I have not with me, that the Poona Pact has affected the Hindus of the Punjab very badly. Then one thing more, and that is that certain Scheduled Tribes of the Depressed Classes, who regard themselves recorded in the Census Report as Hindus, as Butwalas, Barawalas, Kabir-panthas and Domes have not been included among the Scheduled Tribes of the Depressed Classes. They are carrying on agitation on that behalf; the names of these Tribes are Butwalas, Barawalas, Kabirpanthas and Domes. They amount to about 50,000 population in the Punjab because they got themselves recorded in the Census Report as Oriyas. They are not mentioned in the Scheduled Tribes ; and they are creating this agitation in order to be included among them. So that shows a sort of prejudice against those Tribes of the so-called Depressed Classes amongst all those who describe themselves as Hindus. Therefore, my request to the Joint Select Committee is to look into this matter, and at least give them a right in the new tribes.
- Mr. Zafrulla Khan: His last point is not clear. These particular tribes whom you have mentioned want to be scheduled ?
Mr. Bhai Parmanand : Yes.
- Mr. Zafrulla Khan: And they have not been scheduled ?
Mr. Bhai Parmanand: This is another aspect—
- Mr. Zafrulla Khan: I want to clear the point up. Not exactly depressed as those who have been put in scheduled ?
Mr. Bhai Parmanand: My point is this, that simply because they have described themselves as Hindus in Scheduled Caste, they have been excluded from this right which has been given to the other tribes.