HINDUS ALWAYS............HINDU SOCIETY 353
is the Hindus and Muslims—is not at all difficult if there is good sense and right sense in the Congress.
SCHEDULED CASTES WANT POLITICAL SAFEGUARDS
“All that the Scheduled Castes want are political safeguards, over which there can hardly be any dispute,” he continued, “The principal demand of the Scheduled Castes is that they must have separate electorates, the reason being that without Separate Electorates, all other political safeguards that might be granted to them are useless.
“The Muslim League, so far as I understand, has no objection to separate electorates for the Scheduled Castes. The only objecting party is the Congress which represents the Hindu point of view, and if the Congress could agree to Separate Electorates there will be no reason for any non co-operation between the Congress and the Scheduled Castes.”
CONGRESS - LEAGUE UNBRIDGEABLE DIFFICULTIES
“The question of a settlement between the Congress and the Muslim League stands on a different footing.” Dr. Ambedkar continued, “The differences between them to-day are very wide-almost unbridgeable. The League wants to out up the country and the Congress is opposed to it. I am unable to say how this gulf can be closed and I must leave that question to the Congress and the Muslims League to decide among themselves although the Scheduled Castes, as Indians, are not only interested in the terms of the settlement but are deeply concerned in it.”
Globe’s next question was, “In the interests of unity and understanding can you suggest separate representation for the Scheduled Castes ; is it not possible to have reservation for those sections of the Scheduled Castes who do not owe political allegiance to the Congress by means of proportional representation ?” Replying, Dr. Ambedkar said, “I have already said that if the Congress is agreeable to give the Scheduled Castes the right to be represented in the Legislature, in the Executive, in the Services, then it must, in all honesty, grant separate electorates. Because a separate electorates would alone guarantee to the Scheduled Castes the possibility of their electing to the Legislature, members of their own who could be treated