242 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
require any apportionment of seats. The seats assigned to the Depressed Classes under the Poona Pact will remain the same. The only change that will be introduced is that non-Sikh Depressed Classes and the Depressed Classes who have gone to Sikhism will both be free to compete. It merely removes a difficulty from the Depressed Classes who become Sikhs.
Those Hindus who might oppose this suggestion must answer the following questions :
The seats assigned to the Depressed Classes under the Poona Pact cannot come back to the Hindus. They will go to the Muslims or Christians if the Depressed Classes become Muslims or Christians because if by conversion of the Depressed Classes the population of the Muslims or Christians increases then the Muslims and Christians are bound to ask for increased representation in the legislature. Thus, if these seats are to go, why not allow these seats to go to the Sikhs ?
If under the Constitution the Depressed Classes cannot lose political rights by becoming a Muslim or a Christian why should a Depressed Class on becoming a Sikh be made to lose his political rights? This is placing a premium on conversion to Islam and Christianity, and penalty on conversion to Sikhism. This is driving the Depressed Classes to the Muslim or Christian folds. Is it in the interest of the Hindus to allow this to be so?
It may be that the Depressed Classes will not lose their political rights by becoming converts to Sikhism, because even under the Poona Pact the Scheduled Castes Order-inCouncil, their rights to special representation is not made dependent upon their professing the Hindu religion. Their representation is made dependent upon their being members of certain castes and tribes. But why give the Sikhs cause for complaint and create bad blood against the Hindus?
The proposal to add Sikhs to the list of Scheduled Castes in the different provisions for political recognition cannot be said to be strong proposal. On the other hand, not to give such a recognition would appear queer.