214 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Unjust Impost
The matter was investigated by Government and by an act passed in 1874 it was laid down that watan lands could not be alienated nor burden on them increased unless it was in the interest of the Mahar Watandars themselves. In spite of this the Congress Government which claimed to serve the interest of the Depressed Classes and which had scores of other sources to increase their revenues, hit upon this the most poverty-stricken classes to get additional revenues.
“This is not only unjust and inequitable,” said the President, “but because it violates the exisiting law which still remains on the statute book, it is illegal and unconstitutional. And unless the Government realise their folly and cancel the order the Mahar Watandars will be compelled to declare a revolt against the authorities and refuse to carry out their village duties.
The President did not want any precipitate action. He wanted to give time to the authorities to rectify the matter and proposed that a six month’s notice should be given before direct action was resorted to.
“Why are we so serious about it ? It is because even without the additional burden put by the Congress Government, the Mahar Watan system is a system of heartless exploitation.”
There was another big hardship from which thousands of Mahars suffered. There were innumerable villages in the province where the Mahars had to do all the jobs assigned to them without even the Watan land or any other sort of payment. In fact it was nothing short of forced and free labour. That had got to be put to an end.
In connection with these and other grievances he proposed that a deputation should be sent to the Governor to present all the facts to him and to secure redressal.
Turning next to the Congress Dr. Ambedkar said,
“It is a good thing that the Congress has revealed itself so soon and that it did not wait till it had secured full swaraj when it would have been so terribly difficult to remedy matters.”