312 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Compulsory Military Training
Why is the British Government not prepared to keep the Indian people in trim from a military point of view in peace as in war is a question which is asked on all sides. There is a feeling that the reason why the British do not wish to introduce compulsory Military training is that they cannot trust Indians with military training. Steps must be taken to remove such a suspicion. The British if they wish Indians to help them and defend them must learn to trust Indians and divert them to the access of military training. Only trust can beget trust.
Similarly recruitment for the Standing Army must be open to all communities and the distinction between martial and non-martial classes must be done away with. Indianization of the officers’ grade must be worked out sincerely and fairly.
At present only sons of the rich can get admission in Naval and Military schools not because they constitute the right sort of material but they have the money to meet the high cost of training. In other words, the monopolization of the higher grades in the military service by the rich and by some specially chosen communities must be abandoned with a view to inspire trust and confidence in the British Government.
India’s Status Within Empire
The second duty of the British towards India is to reassure her of the status she is to occupy in the British Empire the reluctance of the British Parliament to embody in the preamble to the Government of India Act that India is ultimately to occupy the status of a Dominion has caused much heartburning.
The faith of many in the British has received a rude shock by realization of the fact that Parliament should have refused to give formal sanction to the declaration in favour of Dominion Status in 1935 which was made informally but authoritatively by Lord Irwin in 1929. The British must see that the doubts of India on this point are removed as early as possible. India cannot willingly and heartily fight for principles if she is not assured that the benefit of these principles would be extended to her, when the war is won.