246 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
under the Poona Pact, or they cease to be Hindus and forfeit those privileges.”
Invited to explain the position from his point of view. Dr. Ambedkar, in an exclusive interview with a representative of The Times of India, repudiated the suggestion that the Hindu community had made any sacrifices to the Depressed Classes.
“It is wrong to presume that the orthodox Hindus have surrendered any seats in favour of the Depressed Classes. In fact there is no such thing as a Hindu seat or a Hindu constituency, there is only a general constituency,” he said.
According to Dr. Ambedkar, the constitution does not recognise a Hindu constituency, although there are separate constituencies for Muslims, Europeans, Anglo-Indians, Sikhs (in the Punjab), etc. The general constituency includes not only the Hindus, but also the Parsis, Jews, Jains, Buddhists and a number of other communities. The concessions, if any, granted to the Depressed Classes under the Poona Pact are from the general constituency and not from the “Hindu Constituency “for such a thing does not exist. It was not mentioned in the Communal Award nor in the Poona Pact, nor even in the Government of India Act, 1935, which is to govern the franchise and electoral procedure.
Classification of Constituencies
Too Late to Question Issue
It is too late in the day, argued Dr. Ambedkar, to enter into the justification or otherwise of the classification of Constituencies adopted by the Government of India Act. “There it is and has to be followed. Even in the Punjab, where the Muslims are in a majority and the Hindus in a minority, the former have a separate electorate and the latter a general Constituency,” he added.
Thus, Dr. Ambedkar maintains, it is” incorrect and mischievous to affirm that the Hindus have made a sacrifice, for it may well be said that the numerous other communities who comprise the general constituency have made the so-called concession to the Depressed Classes.