1192 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
- Smt. Ammu Swaminathan : ...We have also to pay our tribute to Dr. Ambedkar and the members of the Drafting Committee and the Secretariat of the Constituent Assembly for the very hard work that they had put in for so many weeks and months. I know their task has not been an easy one but they have overcome all difficulties and thus we are today on the eve of passing this great Constitution of our country. ...
† Shri L. S. Bhatkar (C. P. & Berar : General) : @[Mr. President, I congratulate Dr. Ambedkar and other members of the Drafting committee for preparing this Draft Constitution with so much labour and industry after our country had achieved its freedom.... Article 17 provides for the abolition of untouchability for which I congratulate the Drafting Committee.... ‡Article 338 refers to justice for the Scheduled Castes. Mr. President, I wish to tell you that the position of Harijans in the services hitherto is as follows :
C. P. & BERAR
Population Gazetted
(1931 Census) posts
(1) (2) (3) Brahmans ... ... .5,42,556 448 Marathas & others ... ... .18,82,654 17 Scheduled Castes ... ... .30,51,413 3 Muslims ... ... .7,83,697 99 Sikhs .... ... .14,996 13
580
Honourable Shri B. G. Kher gave the following figures in reply to a question in the Bombay Legislative Assembly by Shri R. M Nalwade :—
No. of Gazetted Officers
No. of Non-Gazetted Officers i.e. Clerks
Community
Population in
1931
(1) (2) (3) (4) Depressed classes ... 18,55,148 14 8,201 Marathas & others ... 42,07,159 606 43,360 Brahmans ... 9,18,120 1,370 21,448 Muslims ... 19,20,368 201 13.797 Others ... ... .886 18,658
*CAD, Official Report, Vol. XI, 24th November 1949, p. 914. † Ibid., p. 915. @Translation of Hindustani speech. ‡ Ibid., p. 916.