82 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
(i) Offence of Infringement of Citizenship.
“ Whoever denies to any person except for reasons by law applicable to persons of all classes and U.S. Statutes At Large. regardless of any previous condition of Civil Rights protection Untouchability the full enjoyment of Acts of April 9, 1868, and of March 1, 1875— any of the accommodations, advantages, passed in the interest of facilities, privileges of inns, educational the Negroes after their institutions, roads, paths, streets, tanks, emancipation. wells and other watering places, public conveyances on land, air or water, theatres or other places of public amusement, resort or convenience whether they are dedicated to or maintained or licensed for the use of the public shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine.”
(B) Obstruction by orthodox individuals is not the only menace to the Depressed Classes in the way of peaceful enjoyment of their rights. The commonest form of obstruction is the social boycott. It is the most formidable weapon in the hands of the Orthodox Classes with which they beat down any attempt on the part of the Depressed Classes to undertake any activity if it happens to be unpalatable to them. The way it works and the occasions on which it is brought into operation are well described in the Report of the Committee appointed by the Government of Bombay in 1928 “to enquire into the educational, economic and social condition of the Depressed Classes (untouchables) and of the Aboriginal Tribes in the Presidency and to recommend measures for their uplift.” The following is an extract from the same :—
Depressed Classes and Social Boycott
“102. Although we have recommended various remedies to secure to the Depressed Classes their rights to all public utilities we fear that there will be difficulties in the way of their exercising them for a long time to come. The first difficulty is the fear of open violence against them by the Orthodox Classes. It must be noted that the Depressed Classes form a small minority in every village, opposed to which is a great majority of the orthodox who are bent on protecting their interests and dignity from any supposed invasion by the Depressed Classes at any cost. The danger of prosecution