ACTIVITIES OF . . . . . . . . . SABHA AT BOMBAY 543
generally come to a place inhabited by the Depressed Classes. In short if any outsider were to visit the Library room, he will not notice that the room in question is being used for library purpose without being told so.
- No noteworthy programme of work has been carried out. A student writes out a small paper and it is circulated to other students in manuscript.
The Bahishkrit Hitkarani Sabha was registered on 1st April 1926.
The P. Ps. re. the Sabha on record are put up.
D.C. P., S.B. (Sd.)” [1]
9th August 1926, “Returned with compliments.
- This Sabha was the subject of my No. H-3447 of 9th March
1926 to the Private Secretary to His Excellency the Governor when it applied for permission to present an address to Lord Irwin on arrival.
A copy of the “rules of constitution” is attached. The membership of the Sabha is roughly 200 of whom all except about 10 belong to the E class. The so-called library is a room on the second floor of an Improvement Trust Chawl in Clarke Road. The books are mostly supplied by the Social Service League. A few papers are also supplied and the daily attendance averages 10 or 12. It is open to anyone but used almost exclusively by members of the Depressed Classes. The Sabha has practically no other activity to its credit.
Thus, though entirely free from objection, it cannot claim to be a representative institution. At the same time there is no other institution better qualified to represent the Depressed Classes and there would be no objection to consulting it if the point of view of the Depressed Classes on some subject were required.
Of the office-bearers all those on the Council of Management are members of the Depressed Classes.
(Sd.)
Commissioner of Police.” [2]
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1 : Source Material Vol. 1, Pp. 10-11.
2 : U. O. R. No. H-3447, dated 11th August 1926.