722 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not think I can undertake to make such an inquiry.
Mr. K. C. Neogy : Is the Honourable Member in a position to give the information asked for by Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan, not with reference to the nationality of the owning interest but as to whether all the collieries, big and small, are doing the work properly, and whether the Honourable Member’s scheme is intended to apply to the smaller collieries as much as to the larger ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is intended to apply to all collieries and with regard to the first part of the question put by my Honourable friend all I can say is that I am prepared to undertake an inquiry which will help in producing more coal. I do not want to hold any assize enquiry over the coal mines.
Mr. N. M. Joshi : May I ask, whenever the Honourable Member makes a statement that the wages of the miners have been increased by 50 per cent, he will also state at the same time that the cost of living in the colliery areas has increased three times the pre-war cost of living index, in order to avoid misunderstanding regarding the statement which he makes ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I believe that this is a direction to me and not a question.
Nawabzada Muhammad Liaquat Ali Khan : Is any quantity of coal exported from India ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: No, except to Ceylon.
Mr. N. M. Joshi : Is it a fact that the Honourable Member had stated that women miners are not compelled to go underground and if he has made such a statement, may I ask how he reconciles that fact with the statement which he has just now made that the Government of India are taking steps to refuse employment to miners elsewhere ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not see any contradiction.
Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan : In reply to part(c) of the question about the taxation adjustment, the Honourable Member has not explained what was the demand of the colliery owners— whether they were unwilling to pay the E. P. T. and whether they have wanted exemption from the Payment of E. P. T. On what ground do they want to be exempted from E. P. T. ?