354 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
forms part of the British India by reason of treaty or agreement. One is, therefore, bound to say that Mr. V. P. Menon has missed the import of sub-section 1 (B) of section 7 and hereby created a wrong impression by his answers at the press conference.
Transfer of Territories
“It is equally incorrect to suggest as was done at the said conference by Sardar Patel that the position of Berar will stand as it is until a new agreement is made with the Nizam. The reason is that the standstill clause which is sub-clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 7 makes a distinction between treaties and agreements which refer to transfer of territories and those which relate to arrangements regarding customs, transport, communications, posts and telegraphs or other like matters. It saves treaties of the latter class only. It does not save any agreement which relates to transfer of territory. The agreement relating to Berar is an agreement which relates to transfer of territory and as such is not saved from the general effect of sub-clause 1 (b) of section 7.
“Nobody would be more happy than myself if it was shown that the construction I put upon section 7 was wrong. All I want to say is that the people of India and the people of Berar should take note of section 7 as it stands and should have the matter cleared up by a direct question to the Prime Minister, Mr. Atlee, when the Bill comes up for discussion in the House of Commons.”—A.P” [1]
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- : The Times of India, dated 8th July 1947.