634 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
68
*** Discrimination Between Muslim and** Non-Muslim Apprentices in the Printing and Stationery Department
- Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state whether it is a fact that suitable men are trained as apprentices in the Printing and Stationery Department of the Government of India ?
(b) Are these persons eligible for appointment to higher posts in the various presses ?
(c) Is it a fact that one such apprentice, Mr. B. C. Sen Gupta, has been appointed in the Government of India Press, New Delhi, on Rs. 200 per mensem and another such apprentice—a Muslim—was not given any suitable job and had ultimately to get himself transferred to the Government Press, Calcutta, as Assistant Manager ?
(d) If the reply to part (c) is in the affirmative, what are the reasons for such discrimination ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes.
(b) Yes, they are eligible, but have no specific claim.
(c) Mr. Sen Gupta was initially appointed by mistake on the old scale of Rs. 200-10-250. On discovery of the mistake he was brought on to the proper new scale starting at Rs.
The Muslim was appointed in the proper new scale starting at Rs. 100.
Since then both have been promoted.
(d) Does not arise.
Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : May I know if both of them have been promoted to the same scale of salary ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I should think so.
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 30th March 1943, p. 1585.