ELECTION PETITION 421
hesitant manner admitted that it was an organ of the Communist Party and that the two members of the Front in their evidence had also admitted that they had made propaganda to support the candidature of Mr. Dange. On the basis of the submission, he said, there could be no doubt that they were Mr. Dange’s agents.
Dr. Ambedkar tried to trace the relationship between Vividh Vritta, a Sunday Marathi weekly, and Dr. Deshpande (Deshmukh), and said that the statement the respondent had published in the paper was not to enlighten voters. In fact, it was given to that particular newspaper and to no other and this, in his contention, proved that there was a link between the paper and the respondent.
…... At this stage, Dr. Deshmukh stood up and requested the tribunal that Dr. Ambedkar might be asked to address his question. “I am not asking you any question. In fact, you have raised them and I am only trying to answer them,” was Dr. Ambedkar’s reply which caused laughter in the Court room.
Earlier Mr. K. V. Chitre, Registrar of Siddharth College and an agent of Dr. Ambedkar gave evidence.
The hearing will be continued on Monday.”
(The Times of India, 4-10-1952) [1]
“PROPAGANDA FOR WASTAGE OF VOTES IS ILLEGAL”
Dr. Ambedkar’s Plea In Election Dispute
It was a gross perversion of law to arouse communal feelings among the electorate by frightening it that it would go unrepresented if it distributed votes, declared Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, arguing his petition before the Election Tribunal, composed of Mr. N. J. Wadia, Chairman, Mr. M. D. Lalkaka and Mr. G. P. Murdeshwar, at the Small Causes Court, Bombay, on Monday.
He was referring to the communal propaganda that had been carried on in the Bombay City North Constituency by Dr. G. V. Deshmukh, who, he said, was the leader of the Independent Candidates’ Group, comprising 17 candidates.
“I cannot find worse propaganda than this,” said Dr. Ambedkar, and added “Because of the realisation of the psychology of Caste Hindus, who did not want Untouchables to occupy important posts
1 Khairmode, Vol. 10, Pp. 298-299.