ROLE OF ......................... INDIAN DEMOCRACY 79
The most important work Dr. Ambedkar did to achieve his goal was the preparation of the Declaration of Fundamental Rights, safeguarding the cultural, religious and economic rights of the Depressed Classes. He prepared the scheme with great labour and statesmanship, and submitted it to the Minorities Subcommittee for being included in the future constitution of India. The title of the scheme was : ‘A Scheme of Political Safeguards for the Protection of the Depressed Classes in the Future Constitution of a self-governing India.” [1]
The text of the Memorandum alongwith its background framed by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is as follows—Editors.
“On the 12th November 1930, His late Magesty King George V formally inaugurated the Indian Round Table Conference. From the point of view of Indians the Round Table Conference was an event of great significance. Its significance lay in the recognition by His Majesty’s Government of the right of Indians to be consulted in the matter of framing a constitution for India. For the Untouchables it was a landmark in their history. For, the Untouchables were for the first time allowed to be represented separately by two delegates who happened to be myself and Dewan Bahadur R. Srinivasan. This meant that the Untouchables were regarded not merely a separate element from the Hindus but also of such importance as to have the right to be consulted in the framing of a constitution for India.
The work of the Conference was distributed among nine Committees. One of these Committees was called the Minorities Committee to which was assigned the most difficult work of finding a solution of the Communal question. Anticipating that this Committee was the most important committee the Prime Minister, the late Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, himself assumed its chairmanship. The proceedings of the Minorities Committee are of the greatest importance to the Untouchables. For, much of what happened between the Congress and the Untouchables and which has led to bitterness between them will be found in the proceedings of that Committee.
1 : Keer, Pp. 144-153.