370 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Paragraph 6 :— This paragraph 6 can be easily dropped as being quite unnecessary for a link between the Dominions and the Associate State. De Valera himself when he gave effect to the principles underlying this Document by enacting the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act, 1936, dropped it.
Paragraph 5 :— We cannot accept paragraph 5 in the terms in which it stands. If it is found necessary to retain it, we must revise its language carefully. We must make a distinction between disabilities and privileges and immunities. While agreeing not to subject the citizens of the different Commonwealth residents in India to any disabilities, we must not allow them to claim the benefit of privileges and immunities which must be reserved to the citizens of India.
Paragraph 4 :— This paragraph of the Document is the most important part of the Document. It is the best part of the Document. It contains the definition of an Associate State and States clearly how and to what extent it is linked to the Commonwealth. This is enough for our purpose. Our Constitution will not permit us to have a closer link with the Commonwealth. Our needs will not permit us to have a looser link with the Commonwealth.
- The question is whether association on these terms will be accepted as sufficient for India to be regarded as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. As I have stated the provisions of Document No. 2 were incorporated in the Irish Constitution when it was re-enacted in 1937. Question was raised whether with these changes, Ireland still remained a member of the British Commonwealth. In reply to this the British Government on the 30th December, 1937 issued the following statement—
“His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom have considered the position created by the new Constitution which was approved by the Parliament of the Irish Free State in June 1937, and came into force on December,
29th.
“They are prepared to treat the new Constitution as not effecting a fundamental alteration in the position of the Irish Free State-in future to be described under the new Constitution as ‘Eire’ or ‘Ireland’-as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.