FEDERATION EXECUTIVE . . . . . . . ON DIRECTION 217
The spokesman stated that the Cabinet Mission had partially retrieved the prestige of the British Government by declaring, in their second statement, that the conclusion of the Indo-British treaty would be dependent on the rights of minorities being protected adequately. What the Secheduled Castes Federation demanded, however, was that suitable amendements be made here and now in the Cabinet Mission’s proposals to ensure this. He could not see any difficulty in this being done just as in the case of the Muslims.
The Spokesman in conclusion explained that the direct action clause in the resolution would become operative only if the Federation failed to achieve its goal. There was no intention 10 take precipitate actions.
A.I.S.C.F’s Ultimatum to the Cabinet Mission
[The following is the full text of the resolutions passed at the Working Committee Meeting of the All India Scheduled Castes Federation held at Bombay during the first week of June ]
The Working Committee of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation has taken into consideration (1) the first statement issued by the Cabinet Mission on the Constitution of India; (2) the Press interviews given by the Members of the Mission in amplification of their statement (3) the second statement made by the Cabinet Mission and (4) the correspondence between the Cabinet Mission and the Hon’ble Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. There are many points arising from the statement of the Cabinet Mission on which the Working Committee would like to state its views. For the present, the Working Committee prefers to deal with the plan of the Cabinet Mission for framing the future constitution of India in so far as it affects the Scheduled Castes.
- The Working Committee has noticed with profound indignation that the Cabinet Mission has not mentioned the Scheduled Castes even once in the course of their statement of 5000 words. It is difficult to understand the working of the mind of the Cabinet Mission. The Mission could not have been unaware of the existence of the Untouchables, their disabilities, the tyrannies and oppression practised upon them day to day by the Caste Hindus all throughout India. The Cabinet Mission could,