326 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
like the villagers between whom and the Mahars had no direct contractual relation exists and at the same time not prepared to exercise any pressure to see that payment is made by the third party.
The question is, therefore, pertinent. The Patil is not asked to depend on Baluta. The Kulkarni, while he was a village servant, was also not made to live on Baluta. Why then is the helpless Mahar alone asked to serve Government and look for the payment to the villagers with no legal means open to him for its enforcement ? It is time that Government did justice by taking the responsibility of remunerating the Mahars on its own shoulders.
As to the cash payment as a source of remuneration, the sums fixed by Government as remuneration to Mahars are the paltriest that can be conceived of. They were fixed somewhere about 1869. Remunerations of other Government servants fixed in those days have since been increased considerably from time to time. In fairness and justice to the Mahars it cannot be denied that an increase in their remuneration is long overdue.
II. INCREASE OF DUTIES OF INFERIOR VILLAGE SERVANTS.
- The Government of Bombay have passed Government Resolution No. 7420/33 of the Revenue Department dated
13-9-1938 containing a list of duties to be performed by Mahars, Mangs, Vethiyas in this Presidency which impose upon them an intolerable burden and which it is impossible for these Watandars to bear. The duties prescribed in the Government Resolution came in for a good deal of angry criticism in the Haregaon Conference. The Resolutions passed in the Conference, which are appended to this Memorial, state the objections of the Inferior Village Servants to the duties prescribed by Government.
- The contention of these Watandars is that they should not be called upon to perform duties listed at item Nos. 1, 3,
5, 9, 13 and 19 without payment of extra remuneration in the form of daily wages of not less than annas eight whenever they are called upon to perform these duties. In this I am sure, there is justice on their side. I have received several complaints from the Watandars of this Province that the Village and the Taluka