REJECTION OF.......RETRENCHMENT 313
of resolutions that had been passed at a session of the Railwaymen’s Federation. After that letter a second letter was received by the Labour Department on the 10th October, 1945. In that letter a request was made that the Labour Department should move and appoint an adjudicator in order to decide upon the terms mentioned in the resolution. Now, Sir, it will be admiitted that before any such grave step as that of the appointment of an adjudicator is taken, it is the duty of the Labour Department to bring the two parties together and to induce them to meet in a formal manner, discuss the various outstanding questions, reduce their differences as far as they possibly can agree to each other’s demands. That duty, I am glad to say, the Labour Department immediately performed and they induced the Railway Department to meet the representatives of the Indian Railwaymen’s Federation and to discuss points of dispute. Honourable Members might be aware that after the discussion had taken place between the Railway Department and the Indian Railwaymen’s Federation a communique was issued by the Railway Department stating that a meeting had taken place and certain matters which were matters of dispute were discussed between the two parties. Now that thing happened as late as the 5th of December, when this communique was issued. Certainly from the 5lh of December up to day it cannot be said that an unduly long delay has happened or an unduly long delay has been brought about or that there has been any dilatoriness on the part of the Labour Department that they did not move in this matter as soon as they ought to have done.
But there is one other point to which I would like to draw the attention of the House. It cannot be said—and I think Mr. Guruswami ought to be in possession of this fact—that the negotiations have not been concluded. Negotiations arc still going on and I may tell the House that it has been agreed between the Railway Department and the Federation of Indian Railwaymen that a small committee of the Indian Railwaymen’s Federation be appointed in order to carry on further negotiations with the Railway Department. The dale fixed for that meeting is towards the end of January 1946. The end of January 1946 has not yet come. There is still time for negotiation………
Shri Prakasa : ‘Towards the end’ has come.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, but that is a matter which I am afraid I cannot accept.