WHAT CONGRESS AND GANDHI HAVE DONE TO THE UNTOUCHABLES : 43 A MEAN DEAL
(A) The Depressed Classes therefore propose that the following
section should be added to Part XI of the Government of India Act
1919, dealing with Offences, Procedure and Penalties : —
(i) Offence of Infringement of Citizenship.
“Whoever denies to any person except for reasons by law
applicable to persons of all classes and U.S. Statutes At Large. regardless of any previous condition of Civil Eights Protec- untouchability the full enjoyment of tion Acts of April 0, any of the accommodations, advant-
1866, and of March, ages, facilities, privileges of inns,
1, 1875—passed in educational institutions, roads, paths, the interest of the streets, tanks, wells and other watering Negroes after their places, public conveyances on land, emancipation. air or water, theatres or other places
of public amusement, resort or convenience whether they are
dedicated to or maintained or licensed for the use of the public
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description
for a term which may extend to five years and shall also
be liable to fine.”
(B) Obstruction by orthodox individuals is not the only menace
to the Depressed Classes in the way of peaceful enjoyment of their
rights. The commonest form of obstruction is the social boycott.
It is the most formidable weapon in the hands of the orthodox
classes with which they beat down any attempt on the part of the
Depressed Classes to undertake any activity if it happens to be
unpalatable to them. The way it works and the occasions on which
it is brought into operation are well described in the Report of
the Committee appointed by the Government of Bombay in 1928
“to enquire into the educational, economic and social condition
of the Depressed Classes (untouchables) and of the Aboriginal
Tribes in the Presidency and to recommend measures for their
uplift.” The following is an extract from the same :—
Depressed Classes and Social Boycott
“102. Although we have recommended various remedies
to secure to the Depressed Classes their rights to all public
utilities we fear that there will be difficulties in the way
of their exercising them for a long time to come. The first
difficulty is the fear of open violence against them by the
orthodox classes. It must be noted that the Depressed Classes
form a small minority in every village, opposed to which is
a great majority of the orthodox who are bent on protecting
their interests and dignity from any supposed invasion by the
Depressed Classes at any cost. The danger of prosecution by
the Police has put a limitation upon the use of violence by
the orthodox classes and consequently such cases are rare.