212 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
While the Government has made up its mind in this respect non-official organisations like the Provincial Congress Committee, the Scheduled Castes Federation and local Hindu organisations have had consultations on the methods of restoring peace in the affected area.
This move follows an interview which Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Labour Member, Government of India, had with Mr. Morarji Desai. Home Minister, Bombay Government and later with Mr. B .G. Kher, Prime Minister, this morning. During the interview, Dr. Ambedkar is understood to have deplored the developments in Worli and suggested certain measures to be taken to restore peace. He also assured the Ministers that he would advise his followers to remain peaceful and exercise more restraint on their part.
It is understood that Dr. Ambedkar, Mr. Nagindas T. Master and Mr. S.K. Patil, have decided to issue a joint statement appealing to Caste Hindus, Congress Workers and Scheduled Caste people of the locality to remain calm and make combined efforts to restore normal conditions.
The Home Minister is understood to have suggested to Dr. Ambedkar the appointment of Chawl Committees in Worli who should be held responsible for breaches of the peace and for the maintenance of peace. If things went out of hand, the Members of the Committees should be held resposible.
The Police authorities, under instructions from the Home Minister, are promulgating certain orders to meet the situation. The measures contemplated include round-up of all bad characters in the areas and emergency powers to be exercised if, the situation showed a tendency to deteriorate.
Up-to-date, in the four days agitation six persons have been killed and 70 injured and a large part of the mill area has been kept in a continued state of tension.
Mr. Rajbhoj’s Statement
Mr. P.N. Rajbhoj, General Secretary of the All India Scheduled Castes Federation, after visiting the Worli Chawls in a statement said that the condition of many of his followers was extremely