POONA SATYAGRAH 511
completely annihilating them politically they want to cover it by committing the worse crime of misleading the British Parliament and the British Public by a mis- statement of fact that a large majority of the Scheduled Castes are with the Congress. It has been established in the primary elections that the Scheduled Castes Federation alone commands the support of the Depressed Classes in spite of the many obstacles thrown by the Caste Hindus in its way. In their anxiety to appease the Congress and win it over for their own ends the Cabinet Delegation have quietly let the Depressed Classes down to whom all these years they have pledged protection and safeguards. I am prepared to submit to any finding by any impartial international tribunal as to whether the Scheduled Castes follow Dr. Ambedkar or Mr. Gandhi. Surely the Cabinet Delegation have not fallen a victim to the latest stunt of Mr. Gandhi in staying in Bhangi Colonies. I am rather tempted to say that the whole thing was a Prearranged affair between Mr. Gandhi and the Cabinet Delegation particularly Sir Stafford Cripps.” [1]
II
NAGPUR-SATYAGRAHA
“Jai-Bheem” my name,
“S.C.F.” my Caste,
“Dalitsthan” my abode
Sensational answers by C. P. Satyagrahis
243 members of the C. P. Scheduled Castes Federation including 6 women and 9 boys were arrested on 12th September 1946. Following their demonstration when the Central Provinces Legislative Assembly met to discuss the Provincial Budget in detail. The demonstrators adopted a novel method of answering the questions by Police Officers while their charge sheets were being prepared. They stated that “Jai Bheem” was their name, their caste was “Scheduled Castes Federation” and “Dalitsthan” was their residence.
1 Jai Bheem, August 13, 1946, P. 8.