374 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
My principal ground for rising to take part in the debate is to deal with the point that was raised by my hon. friend, Ch. Ranbir Singh. His argument, if I understood it correctly, was this that while in some States in India the word “estate” is used in a limited sense so as to include only what we call intermediaries but not to include what we call the ryotwari estates, that is, people holding it in their own right without there being any intermediaries between them and the State, it is quite true that there are some States where the definition of the word “ estate” is a wide one and might possibly include holders under ryotwari or occupants under the Bombay Land Revenue Code, or ryots in other parts of India. At one time I thought that it might be possible to give a limiting effect to the word “estate” by the addition of an explanation, but on further consideration I find that it is more or less impossible to give an explanation which would cover the point. But I would like to say this, that there is no intention on the part of Government that the provisions contained in article 31A are to be employed for the purpose of dispossessing ryotwari tenents.
Shri Hussain Imam: However big they might be ?”
Dr. Ambedkar: Well, that is a different matter. We are making a distinction between intermediaries and ryotwari holders.
Now, that is certainly not the intention of the Government: I know that friends who are interested in this matter would hardly be satisfied with any expression of intention on the part of Government, but I think there is much more than mere intention in the Bill itself. If my friend Ch. Ranbir Singh, would refer to the proviso attached to article 31A which requires that every such Bill shall be reserved for the consideration of the President, I think he will see that there is a certain amount of safeguard in it, and, as I hope the Prime Minister in his speech in reply to this debate will also make it clear, there is no such intention on the part of Government and I believe that whenever any such measure before the President for consideration, the undertaking given in this House would be binding upon the President in giving his