170 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
institutions. This right shall have statutory recognition at the first opportunity and shall be one of the earliest Acts of the Swaraj Parliament, if it shall not have received such recognition before that time.
“It is further agreed that it shall be the duty of all Hindu leaders to secure, by every legitimate and peaceful means, an early removal of all social disabilities now imposed by custom upon the so-called Untouchable Classes, including the bar in respect of admission to temples.” [1]
Mr. Sapru said, “Dr. Ambedkar faught and fought valiantly for the cause which he represented and he promised to be a good fighter in the future life of the country.
Speaking in support of the resolution confirming the Poona Pact Dr. B. R. Ambedkar who was greeted with cheers when he rose, declared :
“I believe it is no exaggeration for me to say that no man a few days ago was placed in a greater dilemma than I was. There was placed before me a difficult situation in which I had to make a choice between two difficult alternnatives.
There was the life of the greatest man in India to be saved. There was also for me the problem to try and safeguard the interests of community which I was in my humble way trying to do at the Round Table Conference according to my light. I am happy to be able to say that it has become possible through the co-operation of all of us to find a solution so as to save the life of the Mahatma and at the same time consistent with such protection as is necessary for the interests of the “Depressed” Classes in the future. I think, in all these negotiations a large part of the credit must be attributed to Mahatma Gandhi himself. I must confess that I was immensely surprised, when I met him, that there was so much in common between him and me. (cheers)
In fact, any disputes whenever they were earned to him and Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru has told you that the disputes that were carried to him were of a very crucial character. I was astounded to see that the man who held such divergent views from mine at
1 : Writings and Speeches, Vol. 9, P. 103.