z:\ ambedkar\vol 08\vol8 03.indd MK SJ+YS 28 9 2013 80
80 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
But, there is one more special feature of the Indian Army to which the Commission made no reference at all. The commission either ignored it or was not aware of it. It is such an important feature that it overshadows all the three features to which the Commission refers, in its importance and in its social and political consequences.
It is a feature which, if widely known, will set many people to think furiously. It is sure to raise questions which may prove insoluble and which may easily block the path of India’s political progress—questions of far greater importance and complexity than those relating to Indianization of the Army.
This neglected feature relates to the communal composition of the Indian Army. Mr. Chaudhari has collected the relevant data in his articles, already referred to, which throws a flood of light on this aspect of the Indian Army. The following table shows the proportion of soldiers serving in the Indian Infantry, according to the area and the community from which they are drawn :
Changes in the Communal Composition of the Indian Army
| Area and Communities | Percentage in 1914 | Percentage in 1918 | Percentage in 1919 | Percentage in 1930 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. The Punjab, N.-W. F. P. and Kashmir (1) Sikhs (2) Punjabi Musalmans (3) Pathans II. Nepal, Kumaon, Garhwal (1) Gurkhas III. Upper India (1) U. P. Rajputs (2) Hindustani Musalmans (3) Brahmins IV. South India (1) Mahrattas (2) Madrasi Musalmans (3) Tamils V. Burma (1) Burmans | 47 19.2 11.1 6.2 15 13.1 22 6.4 4.1 1.8 16 4.9 3.5 2.5 Nil | 46.5 17.4 11.3 5.42 18.9 16.6 22.7 6.8 3.42 1.86 11.9 3.85 2.71 2.0 Negligible | 46 15.4 12.4 4.54 14.9 12.2 25.5 7.7 4.45 2.5 12 3.7 2.13 1.67 1.7 | 58.5 13.58 22.6 6.35 22.0 16.4 11.0 2.55 Nil Nil 5.5 5.33 Nil Nil 3.0 |