z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-09.indd MK SJ+DK 21-9-2013 732
732 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
which has property and all that is purely non-Brahmin.
10,772. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: In the main?
Mr. Deshpande: Some are Brahmins ; some are non-Brahmins.
10,773. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Is it not a fact in Bombay Presidency?
Mr. Deshpande: There are others also, Lingayats.
10,774. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I do not want to confuse the issue. My question is this : As distinct from the Lingayats, the Jains, or the Buddhists (I am talking purely of the Hindus) is it not a fact that all these institutions are controlled by Brahmins ?
Mr. Deshpande: There are some which are controlled by non-Brahmins even in Bombay Presidency.
10,775. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : There are very few ?
Mr. Deshpande : Yes, that would be accepted; but not that the whole of them belong to Brahmins.
10,776. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Now if your proposition was accepted, that the heads of these institutions should have the right to give previous sanction, it would simply mean that the whole of the destiny of the Hindu community would be in the hands of the Brahmins in charge of these institutions ?
Mr. M. K. Acharya: It will not mean that at all.
10,777. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Let me ask you a question or two about your representative character. Mr. Deshpande, in the Satara district there is a non-Brahmin party, is there not ?
Mr. Deshpande: Yes.
10,778. Dr. B. JR. Ambedkar: The non-Brahmins of Satara district would cover almost 90 per cent. of the population ?
Mr. Deshpande: Yes.
10,779. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: There is a very strong antagonism between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins in the Satara district ?
Mr. Deshpande: On certain points ; not on all.
10,780. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: But on points of politics and social reform ?
Mr. Deshpande: On points of politics.
10,781. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: On point of social reform ?
Mr. Deshpande: Not so much.
10,782. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Is it not true that the Brahmins and nonBrahmins have been struggling as to the equality in temples, so far as officiating is concerned?
Mr. Deshpande: In some districts they may have, but not in all.
10,783. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: But is there not a strong cleavage between the two ?
Mr. Deshpande: Not so far as I know.
10,784. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: But they are, anyhow, a separate entity, carrying on a separate political life ?