186 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
The District Magistrate, however, refused to see the members of Satyagraha Committee and turned them away with a chit stating that he will remove those who will start Satyagraha at the door of the Pujari. It is not for me to say whether such a conduct on the part of a District Officer is wise. What I wish to point out to Your Excellency is that if the attitude of the Collector is to prevail, it will immediately provoke a conflict between the Government and the Depressed Classes. Our real contest is with the touchable Hindus and I have been avoiding every circumstance which would leave the touchable Hindus out and make the Satyagraha a matter between Government and the Depressed Classes. Indeed this could have been done on the first day by our refusal to make Satyagrahis stand outside the barricades and insist on forcing through the Police guards for seating them next to the temple gates. This we did not do simply because we did not wish to make it a fight between ourselves and the Government. But it would be inevitable if the Government to depart from its original intention of remaining impartial by permitting the Pujari to permit to use his private entrance as a public passage and thereby be a party to the frustration of our object. Under no circumstances can we permit this new stunt of the Pujari and tolerate his rendering our Satyagraha futile even if it brought us into conflict with Government. I am writing this to inform Your Excellency of the situation as it is developing and to give a chance for the reconsideration of the attitude of the District Magistrate before of the Satyagraha Committee addressed to me and also a copy of the chit sent to them by the District Magistrate with which he turned them away when they called upon him,
I have seen the place myself last Saturday and I am quite convinced that the fear expressed and the danger to the Satyagraha which is apprehended are real.
I beg to remain, Your Excellency’s Most Obedient Servant, (Sd) B.R.Ambedkar.” [1]
1 : Khairmode. Vol. 3; Pp. 321—323.