THE INDIAN TRADE UNIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 119
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is not a blank mind; it is an open mind. That is the way I would like to define my position correctly.
Mr. Griffiths as well as other Members who spoke on the Bill said that the Government was not justified or rather, to use their own words, Government was illogical in applying clause 27J by exempting Government undertakings from the operation of this Bill.
Now, Sir, the first point that I would like to make in reply to the contention is that Logic is certainly not always life. There are many occasions when illogicality would reduce ourselves to extremism and I do not think any man would prefer extremism to illogicality. Personally myself, I think, if anything could be said with regard to clause 28J, it could be said that Government is not timid, Government is not illogical; Government is wise and Government is cautious. I think that this clause has been somewhat misunderstood. There is no intention to exempt Government from the provisions of this Bill. All that is said is this that a date will be fixed when the provisions of this Bill will be applied to Government undertakings. Therefore, if there is any discrimination made in favour of the Government, it is not with regard to the application of the Bill but with regard to the date on which it will become applicable to Government.
Mr. P. J. Griffiths : Why is that made ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : There may be necessity for it.
Mr. P. J. Griffiths : What is it ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I said, I do not want to enter into controversy at this stage and as the Secretary of the Posts and Telegraphs Department said, Government feels that, at any rate for the present, the Government Departments who are employers of labour have made sufficient provision for the recognition of their trade unions. And in view of the fact that Government has certainly been far more ready to recognise Trade Unions than private employers, I do not think that the interests of labour will suffer if the date for the application of this Bill is postponed. Sir, I have nothing more to say.
Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): The question is:
“ That the Bill further to amend the Indian Trade Unions Act,
1926, be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion thereon. ”.
The Motion was adopted.
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