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306 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
a resolution* urging the establishment of a national pact to ensure unity and harmony among the various communities and sects in India and appointed a committee to collaborate with committees to be appointed by other organizations. The Indian National Congress in its special session held in September 1923 at Delhi under the presidentship of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad passed a resolution reciprocating the sentiments expressed by the League. The Congress resolved to appoint two committees (1) to revise the constitution and
(2) to prepare a draft of a national pact. The report† of the committee on the Indian National Pact was signed by Dr. Ansari and Lala Lajpat Rai and was presented at the session of the Congress held at Coconada in 1923. Side by side with the making of the terms of the Indian National Pact there was forged the Bengal Pact‡ by the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee with the Bengal Muslims under the inspiration of Mr. C. R. Das. Both the Indian National Pact and the Bengal Pact came up for discussion§ in the Subjects Committee of the Congress. The Bengal Pact was rejected by
678 votes against 458. With regard to the National Pact, the Congress resolved¶ that the Committee do call for further opinions on the draft of the Pact prepared by them and submit their report by 31st March 1924 to the A. I. C. C. for its consideration. The Committee, however, did not proceed any further in the matter. This was because the feeling among the Hindus against the Bengal Pact was so strong that according to Lala Lajpat Rai# it was not considered opportune to proceed with the Committee’s labours. Moreover, Mr. Gandhi was then released from jail and it was thought that he would take up the question. Dr. Ansari, therefore, contented himself with handing over to the A. I. C. C. the material he had collected.
Mr. Gandhi took up the threads as soon as he came out of the gaol. In November 1924 informal discussions were held in
- For the full text of the resolution of the League, see Indian Annual Register,
1923, Vol. I, pp. 395-96.
† For the terms of the Bengal Pact, see Ibid., p. 127.
‡ For the report and the draft terms of the Pact, see Ibid, 1923, Vol. II, supplement, pp. 104-108.
§ For the debate on these two Pacts, see Ibid., pp. 121-127.
¶ For the resolution, see Ibid., p. 122.
#See his statement on the All-Parties Conference held in 1925 in the Indian Quarterly Register, 1925, Vol. I, p. 70.