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touching to the hearts of people. He appealed all present to be united under the flag of Scheduled Castes Federation. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, in his speech, said, [1 ] ”
“Holding out a threat, Dr. Ambedkar said, if the members of the Scheduled Castes did not get a fair deal and due recognition of their rights and privileges they would fight it out, if need be, with their lives. Dr. Ambedkar clearly stated that if political power ever belonged to anyone it was to the three parties— Hindus, Muslims and Scheduled Castes. Nobody could deny them their rightful place, he asserted.
Recalling the memories of the Second Round Table Conference Dr. Ambedkar observed that Gandhi had no knowledge of the strategy and tactics of different parties at the First Round Table Conference. Therefore he was “anxious that he should warn Gandhi about the land which lay ahead.” With this subject he took the first opportunity to speak at the Federal Structure Subcommittee so that he could expose the whole business. Dr. Ambedkar stated. Gandhi, who followed him after some time, said, “my heart is with Dr. Ambedkar, but my head is not with him.” Next morning before the proceedings opened, he asked Gandhi certain questions which were the cause of the quarrel between them. He asked whether Gandhi had any mandate from the Congress in support of the statement that he would welcome representation of the Indian Princes by nomination and whether the Congress was not opposed to indirect election, to which Gandhi had said that he had no objection, and whether the Home Rule Bill had not been rejected by the Congress for that very reason. Mr. Gandhi refused to answer the questions.
“The point I want to illustrate by saying all this is that if India has been let down, it is not by me, it is not by the Scheduled Castes, it has been let down by Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Srinivasa Sastri and others “Dr. Ambedkar added. Dr. Ambedkar further observed :
It is much better that the caste Hindus reconcile themselves to the fact that the Scheduled Castes are a separate element in the national life of India. We are in perfect accord with them
1 : Kamble B. C ; ‘Samagra Ambedkar Charitra’ (Marathi) Vol. 17. Pp. 66-67.