PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 851
(46)
*ANDHRA STATE BILL, 1953
Mr. Chairman: Motion moved.
“That the Bill to provide for the formation of the State of Andhra the increasing of the areas of the State of Mysore and the diminishing of the area of the State of Madras, and for matter connected therewith, as passed by the House of the People, be taken into consideration.”
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay) : Mr. Chairman, this is a Bill the object of which is to create a new State for the Andhras. As such it is the subject matter of the Andhras themselves. Others who are not Andhras can only take part in it in a general way, and solely because this new Province is a portent of probably some other linguistic provinces to come into existence. It is only because of the feeling of the latter kind that I have stood up today to say a few words.
Sir, when one goes into the Bill, one is very much puzzled as to whether one should congratulate the Government on the Bill such as has been brought forward before the house, or whether one should congratuate the Andhras who are clamouring for a separate Province. As anyone in this House knows, as soon as the Congress Party was organised and had a constitution in the year 1921, the first thing it did was to incorporate the principle of linguistic provinces. I have no idea that at any time from the year 1921 up to the year
1949 or these about, the Congress either ever withdrew that principle from its constitution or regretted having entered that principle in its constitution. In 1949 I believe—if I am wrong my friends will correct me—but I think that is about the year, when the Drafting Committee was sitting, and one Member of then Assembly tabled a Resolution for the formation of the linguistic provinces. I was in charge of the Law Department and as such the Resolution fell within my portfolio. I had to
- P. D. Vol. 4 (Council of States) of 1953, Part 1, 2nd September 1953, pp. 864-79.