838 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
is a famine in some other part of the country. I think it would be impossible for any person who reads newspapers to say that any month has passed when there has not been a famine in this country. I was quite interested to listen to the argument which has been urged by some Members of the Congress Party that the Opposition should not be too hard on the Government. The Opposition must remember that when the British left, they left this country as an empty shell, with the resources undeveloped, with the people of this country untrained for economic production. Those arguments, if I may say so with all respect, are without substance. It may probably pass muster in this House or may pass muster with those who are inclined towards the party in this House. But I should like to tell even my friends who are sitting on the Opposite side that this excuse will not go down for a long time with the people…….
An hon. Member : You were yourself in the Government once.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Don’t you recollect my past. I am now a divorcee. What I want to tell my friends on the other side is that this excuse will not serve them for a long time. No hungry man is going to be sympathetic to a critic who is going to tell him “My dear fellow, although I am in power, although I am in authority, although I possess all legal power to set matters right, you must not expect me to do a miracle because I have inherited a past which is very inglorious.” If this Government will not produce results within a certain time, long before the people become so frustrated, so disgusted with Government as not to have any Government at all, a time will come when I suppose unless we in Parliament realise our responsibilities and shoulder the task of looking after the welfare and good of the people within a reasonable time, I have not the slightest doubt in my own mind that this Parliament will be treated by the public outside with utter contempt. It would be a thing not wanted at all.
Sir, the situation has been greatly aggravated by the sudden decision the Government has taken with regard to this subsidy. The subsidy is in another way an additional project