560 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
shall be appointed under him an Indian to be trained so that when the European vacates the Indian would be able to take charge of the department.
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra : The Honourable Member said just now that Mr. Cowen Started work at the end of May
1942, and that in regard to these non-ferrous metals, zinc and lead the appointment of British officials was inevitable. When did it occur to the Government of India to have these mines explored ? Was it after the fall of Burma, so as to provide for these gentlemen who have been thrown out of employment ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot give an answer to that question.
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra : When did the Government first take it into their head to have these mines worked in India ? What have they been doing all this time ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Probably quite spontane ously without reference to anything external.
Sardar Sant Singh : May I ask whether the need for working these mines was felt as a necessity to provide for the war effort, or was it to provide these evacuees from Burma with some jobs ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Certainly not; the supplies from Burma having ceased it was necessary for the Government of India to exploit their own resources.
Mr. K. C. Neogy : With reference to clause (d) of the question, my Honourable friend stated that petroleum was not included among the minerals at the present moment. Has petroleum been excluded from the programme as a matter of discretion with the department or because the Government has been committed to some other agency for the development of petroleum in India ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Not at all. My answer was that for the present the programme docs not include it; it does not mean that it is excluded from the programme altogether.
Mr. K. C. Neogy : Will the Honourable Member be surprised I were to tell him that Dr. Fox made a statement on the 6th of July, a portion of which I referred to yesterday, somewhat to that effect ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I would like to say this to my Honourable friend, that Dr. Fox does not decide the policy of the Government of India.