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UNTOUCHABLES HAVE TO STRIVE THEMSELVES
“Under the auspices of the Somvamshiya Hitakaraka Samaj and the Untouchable residents of Tadwadi, Mazgaon, a public meeting was held on March 19th, 1938 at Tadwadi Mazgaon, to present an address and a purse to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Dr. P. G. Solanki, the leaders of the Independent Labour Party. R. K. Tatnis, Editor, Vividh-Vritta presided. He, M. N. Talpade, S. T. Gaikwad and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar made speeches in Marathi. About 500 persons including about 100 women attended the meeting.
The President, M. N. Talpade and S. T. Gaikwad, during the course of their speeches recalled the services of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Dr. P. G. Solanki towards the cause of the Untouchables. An address and a purse was then presented by the President to Dr. Ambedkar. Dr. P. G. Solanki was not present as he was reported to be ill.
Replying to the address, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar stated that the Untouchables had to strive for their uplift themselves without the help of any other individual or organisation. The Congress organisation, though it professed to help the cause of the Untouchable, did not do anything. Not only that but such organisations did quite the contrary. This was evidenced by the remission of the sentence passed on one Mahomedan for a heinous offence of rape on an Untouchable girl in the Central Provinces. He then stressed the need of a Hall for Untouchables in Bombay and appealed to the audience to subscribe for the same. He stated that it was easy for him to collect the requisite amount by approaching persons like Birla or Bajaj. But he did not want to do that and thus unnecessarily give them an upper hand. He then announced that the purse presented to him would go towards the funds of the Independent Labour Party.
The function started at about 10-30 p. m. and concluded peacefully at about 12-30 a.m.
(Sd.) ......................
Superintendent, S. B., C.I.D.
22nd March 1938.” [1]
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1 : Source Material, Vol. I, Pp. 170-171.