680 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
of a certain sullenness and anger of the people with the Congress and Congress institutions. It is no use our concealing it, Wherever I go I feel I am assailed and attacked. But through my garrulity, my longwindedness, through my talkativeness I manage to get over the thing. But at the same time, I know on what delicate ground I am travelling. I speak not merely as a critic of the Government, but as a responsible member of the Congress who has given cent. per cent. support on all occasions to this Government. I say however that he is not a well-wisher who simply flatters, or conceals the truth from the Government. Perhaps you remember that last spectacle—not a scene in Hamlet—a scene in the drama of Germany where the Kaiser on the 9th November 1918 summoned all his generals and asked them to speak. Nobody would speak, they were all silent. Then he said, the Kaiser orders you to speak, and then Gen. Ludendroff spoke for when the Kaiser orders, and if he did not speak, he would shot. Just as when Queen Victoria asked Prince Albert to open the door. She said, “Dear, open the door” but the door does not open. Then she says, “The Queen of England orders you to open the door” and then the poor fellow came and opened the door. So it was with the Kaiser, and Ludendroff said, “Your Majesty, there are only twenty-four hours for you to escape across to Holland.” Then the Kaiser asked, “Why ?” “Why ? because the army would not fight”. The Kaiser said, “I will lead the army myself.” But the army would not fight and in twenty-four hours this man was transferred. When an unpleasant truth is said, please listen to it, because there is in it nothing but the best wishes for our conjoint prosperity and success. If not on principle, if not on sound morality, at least on expediency please reconsider the position and make it possible for the people to go along with you.
- Acharya J. B. Kripalani (U. P. : General): Sir, in some quarters here is an apprehension that I may talk against the policy of the Government. Though I have spoken in this house only once, yet this apprehension exists in some quarters and I want to allay that apprehension. I stand here to support the broad principles of the Bill. I do so because I do not want this Government to resign upon a side issue, upon a social issue. I want it to resign on more substantial, political and economic issues. I would rather want it to resign, for example, as any other Government in a more democratic country would have resigned, on the issue of the sugar muddle, by which infants
*C.A. (Leg.) D., Vol. VI, Part II, 13th December 1949, pp. 552-58.