156 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
remedy the grievances o f labour, was engaged in imprisoning labour leaders. Well, Sir, that is not a matter with which I, in my department, specifically deal. We had a great deal of discussion yesterday. I have not seen either yesterday or to-day any specific illustration or instance given to me of any Labour leader having been imprisoned by Government.
Seth Yusuf Abdoola Haroon : I just referred to a case in the Karachi Port Trust.
Mr. Hooseinboy A. Laljee : Is the Port Trust under you ?
Dr. Ambedkar : No .
Mr. Laljee : Railwaymen ?
Dr. Ambedkar : No .
Mr. Laljee : Seamen ?
Dr. Ambedkar : No.
Mr. Laljee : Then what else have you got ?
Dr. Ambedkar : There are very many other categories of labour. I was dealing with the question of imprisonment of labour leaders.
Smt. K. Radhabai Subbarayan : Was not Mr. Dange imprisoned ?
Dr. Ambedkar : I am just coming to that. Knowing the labour leaders, as I do, the trouble I think is that labour leaders play more than one part.
They are sometimes labour leaders, sometimes they are communists, sometimes they are national leaders, sometimes they are members of the Congress; and sometimes they are members of the Hindu Mahasabha or of some other organisation.
An Honourable Member : All are to be tabooed !
Dr. Ambedkar : It is very difficult to say that labour leader who plays such a multiple part is imprisoned because he is a labour leader and not because he has acted in some other capacity—as a communist, as a member of the Congress, or as a member of the Hindu Mahasabha. In fact, if I may say so with all humility, in my judgment, if labour leaders were to exclusively devote themselves to the labour cause and not to be instruments of political parties of other complexion or other character, or of other programme, then they would be not only excluding themselves from the clutches of Rule
26, but they would also be doing a great deal of service to labour itself. Unfortunately we have not been able to get in this country labour leaders who are exclusively devoted to labour.