WISDOM AND . . . . . . . . . TWO PARTS 315
Hindu-Muslim Problems
Referring to the Hindu-Muslim problem, Dr. Ambedkar said that he did not believe in the allegations that the Muslims were being tyrannized or terrorized in the Congress provinces. What the Muslims and the other minorities wanted today was a share in the Government of the country and a status of equality with governing classes. This was being denied by the Congress? which so far had refused to recognise any class or community outside its organisation.
Muslims, he said, had so far been wanting safeguards which meant that given the necessary protection they were prepared to live with the other communities. Today a demand had been raised to divide India into Hindu and Muslim India, and if this attitude was allowed to take hold of the masses, there was no hope of a united India. Today the solutions lay with fne Congress and’ with the majority community, and what was required was large heartedness, statesmanship and the realisation of realities.
“ Might Be too Late”
It might be too late tomorrow, said Dr. Ambedkar. The problem could be solved and must be solved. The problem was no longer that the minorities should be treated fairly and squarely. It was that the minorities must be made to feel that they were a part and parcel of the Government of the country. It had now become a question of dignity and self-respect.
Dr. Ambedkar concluded by saying that today he found it very difficult to dissuade his community from merging itself in some other larger community, but the continuance of the present attitude of the Congress might make his voice ineffective. The responsibility of driving away the Scheduled Classes to another fold would lie with the Congress. “I hope that wisdom and statesmanship will dawn on the Congress,” he said, “in time to prevent India from being divided into two parts, and Scheduled Classes merging themselves with a powerful and influential minority.” [1]
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- : The Times of India, dated 11th October 1939.