240 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
11,435,417. Rai Sahib Babu Ramcharan another member of the United Provinces Provincial Franchise Committee representing the Depressed Classes in his minute of dissent gave the numbers [1] of the Depressed Classes in U.P. as 20 millions.
The Government of the United Provinces reported [2] that the maximum estimate amounts to 17 million persons; the minimum something less than one million. In its opinion the least number was 6,773,814.
BENGAL
The Bengal Provincial Franchise Committee in its first Report [3] said.
“The Committee could come to no decision on this question and resolved to put it back for consideration along with the Central Committee.”
In its final Report the same Committee said—
“According to the criterion laid down viz, untouchability and unapproachability, as these terms are understood in other parts of India, the Committee consider that, except Bhuimalis only, there is no such class in Bengal.” [4]
Mr. Mullick who was a representative of the Depressed Classes on the Bengal Provincial Franchise Committee in his minute of dissent gave a list of 86 castes as belonging to the Untouchable Classes.
BIHAR AND ORISSA
The population of the Depressed Classes in Bihar and Orissa according to the Census of 1911 was 9,300,000 [5] and according to the Census of
1921 was 8,000,000 [6] .
But the Bihar and Orissa Provincial Franchise Committee in its provincial memorandum [7] observed—
“It is difficult to give an exhaustive list of the castes or sects who come under the definition of Depressed Classes. The only classes which can be called depressed are Mushahars, Dusadhs, Chamars, Doms and Mehtars. Their number is not sufficiently large to justify their being grouped in a separate electoral roll. The problem of Depressed Classes is not so acute in Bihar as in Bombay or South India. The Committee considers that there is no need for special representation of the Depressed Classes.”
1 I.F.C., Vol. III, p. 285.
2 Ibid., pp. 297-98.
3 Ibid., p. 189.
4 Ibid. p. 230.
5 Quoted from ‘ Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings & Speeches’. Vol. 2. p. 437—Ed.
6 Ibid., p. 431—Ed.
7 I.F.C., Vol. III, p. 129.