52. Starving People ask for Bread - Page 451

52

STARVING PEOPLE ASK FOR BREAD

Hyderabad Government proposed to allot lands to Scheduled Caste people. Hon. Minister Andhra Pradesh Shri Bindu told this decision to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar at the time of his visit to Delhi. Dr. Ambedkar asked Hon. Bindu to send copy of that order as early as possible. Government of Hyderabad had taken back possession of the land which was allotted to Scheduled Castes. In protest of this the Scheduled Castes started. Satyagraha. 1700 people were arrested. Dr. Ambedkar wrote a strong letter to Hon. Bindu that the Government should handover the ownership of lands to the Scheduled Castes then only he will advise Scheduled Castes to withdraw the Satyagraha. The said letter is as follows : Editors.

26, Alipur Road, Delhi

Dated the 6th Nov. 1953.

Dear Mr. Bindu,

When we met in Delhi you promised to send me copies of the decision taken by the Hyderabad Government in regard to the grant of land to the Scheduled Castes. It is now more than a week but have not sent me the copies.

From the newspapers it appears that about 1700 men and women belonging to the Scheduled Castes in the Aurangabad district have been arrested and sent to jail for offering Satyagraha for the return of their lands which were granted to them and which were afterwards resumed.

I do not know what the intention of the Government is. Perhaps it is to prosecute them and send to jail. If this happens it would be a great tragedy. It cannot redound to the credit of the Government to prosecute starving people and send them to jail because they ask for bread. I think you ought to release them, the law having been vindicated.