528 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
MR. ALEXANDER’S REPLY TO DEBATE
Mr. A. V. Alexander, Minister designate of Defence, replying to the debate, said, it was taking place in the most crucial hour in the history of India and its people, as well as the British Commonwealth. He asked responsible leaders of all parties in India to take note that the great majority of the speakers in the debate desired nothing more than that India should achieve her freedom on the basis of the good-will and co-operation of all concerned.
Replying to Mr. Churchill’s question whether it was the Government’s policy for the Depressed Classes to be treated as a separate political entity, Mr. Alexander said that in the Act of 1935 the Depressed Classes were treated as a separate political entity and whether or not any separation of that kind should be given to them in the new Assembly was a matter for the Constituent Assembly. The Government, he declared, did not consider it desirable or in the interests of the Depressed Classes that they should attempt to influence the Assembly in that matter. Their view was that provisions in the Constitution were the right methods for providing safeguards over the rights of minority elements.
He reminded the House of what the Cabinet Mission said namely that when the Constituent Assembly completed their labours the British Government would recommend to Parliament to take necessary action to enable the new Constitution to come into operation subject to two matters. One of them was adequate provision for the protection of minorities. Both the major parties had declared their intention of making proper provision for protection in the Constitution and the Government saw no reason to doubt that the Constituent Assembly would do so.
Mr. Alexander said that he agreed with Mr. Hugh Molson (Conservative) that it was the Government’s intention that protection of minorities must be provided for in the Constitution. He added : “I understand that Dr. Ambedkar argued strongly for that during the Cripps Mission. In the last paragraph of our statement last week we made it clear we would not contemplate forcing upon an unwilling community anything they did not want. The Congress itself accepts that. In our statement of May 25 we have agreed to leave Constitution making to Indians provided we get proper protection for minorities. We want that in the Constitution. We shall adhere to our pledges to the Indian people.” [1]
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- : Jai Bheem, dated 1st January 1947.