PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 969
been the state of affairs of ths United Maharashtra ? In Maharashtra I find that only that Marathas from the Satara district or that area are able to capture political offices. The rest of the people are just where they are. I do not understand how a Minister drawn from Satara can have any interest in for instance, the Ratnagiri district. I do not think any Minister has ever visited the Ratnagiri district.
An Hon. Member: So many have.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: For the sake of drawing allowances, I think. Not for doing service.
An Hon. Member: Still they have visited.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Areas and areas are completely neglected, what interest has a Maratha from the Satara district in the Ratnagiri district? What interest can a Brahmin for instance from Mahavidarbha have in the Satara district ? I do not quite understand this mentality of huddling together. Is it like Bharat Milap ? When Ram came from Lanka, Bharat embraced him. What for—for brotherly love and affection. Nothing more than that. Why not allow such areas to develop their own interests, to pay attention to their own interests ? Besides, as my friend Mr. Pant knows—I may be wrong—I suppose he is the last of the veterans. Who will succeed him— can he tell me ? Who will succeed him as a Minister ? I don’t see anybody. Certainly I don’t see anybody in the rank and file of the Congress. If any Minister of the towering personality of my friend Mr. Pant has to be looked for, it would have to be someone outside the Congress ranks. I am sure of that.
Shri H. P. Saksena: You, for instance.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I shall die pretty soon. Don’t enrol me. This country, by this kind of thing, is going to dogs. Our primary concern is to raise and train politicians so that they. can learn to take responsibility upon their own shoulders. We ought not to sit tight oh one thing for ever. We ought to allow other people to take responsiblity while we are alive so that if they commit any mistake, we may rectify it in time. If you have U. P. divided into three provinces, you will have probably