304 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
nominations, the unequal distribution of financial burden between British India and the States, indirect elections to the Federal Assembly and the special responsibilities of the Governor-General. Under the latter the following may be mentioned: (1) treating Paramountacy as a reserved subject,
(2) impossibility of securing full control over the army and
(3) the impossibility of securing full control over finances. Although the imperfections are serious, they may disappear or be removed or mitigated in the course of time. Such is not the case with the inherent defects. These defects cannot be removed unless the whole Federal constitution is scrapped. Nobody need quarrel with a constitution because it has certain imperfections in it. These imperfections can be removed in practice by mutual understanding and experience shows that it is not impossible. If they are such that they cannot be removed in practice, they can be made good when the time for revision comes. But the case is totally different when the constitution is based upon principles which are defective and which cannot allow it to grow. The Federal Constitution is wrong in its conception and wrong in its basis.”
“Deadly Poison”
Concluding Dr. Ambedkar said: “The introduction of the Federal Scheme in the Government of India Act deserves, in the opinion of the Independent Labour Party, to be resisted by every possible means. The Federal part of the new constitution must be shunned as a deadly poison. Should the Congress decided by a majority to fight the new constitution it shall have the full support of the Independent Labour Party. In case, however, the majority in the Congress be swayed by the reactionary element and Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose decides to stick to his guns, the Independent Labour Pary will join hands with his party. Our party will co-operate with the party or the combination of parties undertaking to fight the Federal part of the new constitution in every possible way.”
United Press.” [1]
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- : The Bombay Chronicle, dated 21st July 1938.