14
THE INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY : A SOURCE FOR BETTERMENT OF THE DEPRESSED CLASSES
On 14th January 1937, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar reached Bombay from London. The Journalist from Times of India had interviewed Dr. Ambedkar. The interview is as follows : Editors.
Dr. Ambedkar said that he visited Europe purely for reasons of health and he stayed most of the time in Vienna and Berlin. He was in London only for a week. He had no conversation of a political nature with any one in London.
Asked if he had come to any decision regarding his intention to leave the Hindu fold, he said that the decision still remained, although he had not finally made up his mind which new faith he should embrace.
Dr. Ambedkar said that his immediate concern was the ensuing elections to the Bombay Legislative Assembly and he would devote himself to the election campaign. The Independent Labour Party, which he had started, would work for the betterment of the political and social condition of the Depressed Classes in the Legislature, and he was sanguine that all the candidates put up on behalf of his Party would come out successful in the elections.
Dr. Ambedkar was given a rousing reception on arrival. More than a thousand Khaki-clad volunteers belonging to the Social Equity League lined up the entire route from Ballard Pier Station to Alexandra Dock No. 18, cheered him as he passed.
Most of the candidates put up by the Independent Labour Party of which Dr. Ambedkar is the founder, for the ensuing elections to the Bombay Legislative Assembly were present on the wharf to meet him. Among them were B. K. Gaikwad (Nashik District), Mr. PrabhakarRoham (Ahmednagar), Mr. B. H. Varale (Belgaum), Mr. R. R. Bhole (Poona), Mr. B. J. Sawadkar, Mr. S. G. Tipnis (Kolaba), Mr. G. R. Ghatge (Ratanagiri), Mr. R. E. Bhatankar (Thana) and Mr. V. A. Gadkari. [1]
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1 : The Times of India, dated 15th January 1937
Reprinted : Khairmode, Vol. 7, Pp. 57-59.