160 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
“Dr. Ambedkar accepted Gandhi’s suggestion. The interview ended, and the leaders started to settle other details regarding the number of men in the panel, number of total seats in the provincial assemblies, duration of the primary system, duration of the reserved seats and distribution of posts.” [1] (The Epic Fast. Pp. 209-10).”
When Dr. Ambedkar and Dr. Solanki saw Mr. Gandhi, they were accompanied by most of the leaders then present in Poona.
“Friday, the 23rd September, dawned. For hours hot discussions raged over the number of candidates required to make the panel. Then there was the question of seats. Dr. Ambedkar demanded 197 seats in the Provincial Assemblies and the leaders reduced the number to 126. Negotiations dragged on. Hours rushed by. After ten hours of discussion, some points were referred to Gandhi and he upheld Dr. Ambedkar’s points. But still the negotiations seemed to break down on the question of duration of primary election and referendum to decide the duration of reserved seats. Dr. Ambedkar said that the system of Primary Election should terminate at the end often years; but he insisted that the question of reserved seats should be settled by referendum of the Depressed Classes at the end of further fifteen years. The leaders’ opinion was that the evil of reserved seats and separation would be perpetuated by making its removal dependent upon the will of the Depressed Classes. Dr. Ambedkar’s insistent demand for a referendum at the end of twenty-five years created a furore among the caste Hindu circles. Dr. Ambedkar frankly told them that he refused to believe that Untouchability would be no more in the next twenty years or so, and therefore he said that faced with the sword of Damocles, the Caste Hindus would be compelled to change their inhuman attitude to the Untouchables” [2]
“ ... Dr. Ambedkar desired Gandhi to agree to a referendum of ten years. Gandhi was slightly better and he spoke very slowly but deliberately. “Your logic is irrefutable,” he said. “But let the referendum be at the end of five years. Surely, five years is a sufficient period to prove the bona-fides of the Caste
1 : Keer, P. 212.
2 : Keer, Pp. 212-213.