ROLE OF ......................... INDIAN DEMOCRACY 113
Gandhi and placed his cards on the table. But Gandhi did not open his mind and said that he would consent to Dr. Ambedkar’s demands if others agreed.
The Minorities Committee met for the first time on September 28, 1931. The Premier admitted that the problem of minorites in India had baffled them all. He observed that some of the delegates had suggested that Government should arbitrate as the delegates themselves had failed to agree, but he opined that the arbitration would probably be unacceptable to some of them. Upon this the Aga Khan said that Mahatma Gandhi was going to see the Muslim delegates that night and so he asked for an adjournment. Seconding the Aga Khan, Malaviya wished that the general discussion might stand over.
Dr. Ambedkar was in the know of the secret talks that were going on between the Muslim leaders and Gandhi regarding the Hindu-Muslim agreement. So referring to the motion for adjournment, he said : “As far as the Depressed Classes are concerned, we have already presented our case to the Minorities Sub-Committee last time. The only thing which remains for me to do is to put before this Committee a short statement suggesting the quantum of representation which we want in different Legislatures.”
He himself had heard with great pleasure, Dr. Ambedkar continued, that further negotiations were going to take place for the settlement of the communal issue. He further obvserved:” But I would like to make this matter absolutely plain at the start. Those who are negotiating ought to understand that they are not plenipotentiaries at all; that whatever may be the representative character of Mr. Gandhi or the Congress people, they certainly are not in a position to bind us— certainly not. I say that most emphatically in this meeting.” And concluding his speech with a warning, he said : “I want to say most emphatically that whoever claims weigthtage and whoever is willing to give that weithtage he must not give it—he cannot give it—out of my share.” Upon this the Chairman, MacDonald said : “Dr. Ambedkar’s position has been made absolutely clear, in his usual splendid way. He has left no doubt at all about it.”*
- Proceedings of Federal Structure Committee & Minorities Committee, p. 527.