736 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
(c) what action Government propose to take to stop the system of begar; and
(d) whether the Government of India propose to appoint a Committee to investigate into the system, with a view to abolishing the same by law ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The subject falls under the Labour department, among departments of the Government of India; the general subject is one included in the list of concurrent subjects in part II of list III of the Seventh-Schedule to the Government of India act, 1935.
(b) No formal communication has been received from the All-India, Scheduled Castes Federation.
(c) Government of India has not considered the question so far.
(d) The suggestion will be considered in due course.
Mr. Govind V. Deshmukh : Is the Honourable Member aware that in the Central Provinces and berar this begar, has been abolished ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no information on the point.
Mr. K. C. Neogy : May I know if it is not a fact that His Excellency the Crown Representative and his agents have been impressing upon the state administrations that this sort of forced labour should be discontinued, and that this has led to very beneficial results in certain parts of the country ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am glad to have the information.
Dr. Sir Zia uddin Ahmad : May I know whether the Honourable Member is aware of the fact that in the United Provices, out of what they call the cultivators, 35 per cent are village labourers and they do not get any benefit on account of high prices. The cultivators do not get them in kind. They arc paid in money and they find it exceedingly difficult…….
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : What is the question ?
Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : The question is whether the Honourable Member is aware of this fact that the cultivators………….
President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim) : The Honourable Member has made a long speech.
Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad: I want to know whether the Honourable Member is aware of it and what action do the Government propose to take. That is the question.
(No answer)