884 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
this discussion over observers has no value and no consequence. Supposing the Portuguese give the best treatment to the Goanese, are we going to give up our claim over Goa ? May be that they give dominion status to them, so far as we know, and make them full-fledged citizens, but we are not going to give up our claim to Goa. No doubt about it. It is part of India. Therefore all this talk about observers seems to me to be beside the point. We must deal with the Portuguese people over this question. Are they prepared to surrender their sovereignty in the same way as the British did ? This is the only issue that I think need be discussed. Sir, it seems very unfortunate that some of the enlightened nations are siding with the Portuguese. I am sorry to see Mr. Churchill in a clandestine manner siding with the Portuguese saying to us. ‘Do not use force’, Why ? Are they going to go away with a kiss from the Prime Minister ? And without a shot being fired ? Similarly Brazil, and I do not know what the attitude of the U.S.A. is, which has not been publicly proclaimed. Possibly, they may also have a soft corner for Portugal. I have been wondering why all these things have happened, why England, which voluntarily surrendered sovereignty, to the people of this country, should ask another country similarly situated to act in a contrary way. It is impossible to understand it. It seems to me—the Prime minister may accept my suggestion or may not accept it but it seems to me that they are trying to teach our Prime Minister that neutrality has price.
Shri P. Sundarayya : The Prime Minister must take note of it.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I am going to make one suggestion to the Prime Minister. I do not think that we should have an armed conflict with the Portuguese if the Portuguese are going to be supported by other United Nations members, but less than that, there are two proposals that I wanted to make. You remember perhaps that there was the case in America which concerned the State of Louisiana, which was a French possession in the midst of American possessions and the Americans were very anxious to get rid of the French and to have Louisiana transferred to the United States. The