PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 573
Shri Kamath: This is an all-parties Ministry.
Dr. Ambedkar: That is a different thing. It is therefore very difficult to be sure in the interests of fair elections that nothing will be introduced in the text of the Message which may not be objected to by some political party. I submit, therefore, that it would be wrong to bring in the President in the political arena charged with emotion and bitter feelings as it is likely to be in the course of the elections.
Another thing I find is that the amendment speaks of the purposes being carried out by a prescribed authority. There is no mention in this amendment as to what is to be this prescribed authority, or who is to prescribe this particular authority. Again, if the prescribed authority is to be the State Governments in the various parts of India or the administrative agents who are working under the State Governments, there again, we are introducing a very dangerous political instrument in a proposition which, apart from all other things, is, no doubt, as I said, very laudable. Again, the requirement that it shall be read in every village, and every mohalla seems to me to demand too much from the administrative machinmery. What is to happen if the Message is not read in some villages and in some mohallas ? Is the election to be held over until that requirement is satisfied? There is no mention about it in the whole of this amendment. Therefore, from political and administrative points of view, I think the amendment is a very impracticable one.
However, there is I think, another aspect of the matter which might be taken into consideration in determining one’s view as to whether this amendment is to be accepted or not accepted. Supposing there was no such amendment as suggested by my friend, is it not possible to suppose that the purpose of this amendment will be given effect to by the various political parties themselves ? I am sure about it that every party will cherish the underlying object and therefore, I cannot see what can prevent all the political parties and each one of them, trying to issue some kind of a message as is mentioned in the opening part of this amendment, that there is our Constitution which has got a Preamble and we