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SCHEDULED CASTES MUST ORGANISE
“The need for the members of the Scheduled Castes to organise themselves and stand united under the banner of the All-India Scheduled Castes’ Federation for attaining social, economic, and political equality with the other major communities in the country was stressed by the Hon. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Labour Member, Government of India, when he addressed a mass meeting recently at Bombay.*
Dr. Ambedkar reviewed the work he had done for the betterment of the community since he joined the Viceroy’s Executive Council. He was glad that Government had agreed to reserve a certain percentage of posts for the members of the Scheduled Castes. He was also able to secure two more seats in the Central Legislature to represent the interests of the community. Government had also agreed to make an annual grant of Rs. 3 lakhs to enable students of the community to prosecute their studies abroad. There remained much more to be done to lift the community from the present status but it all depended on how far the community stood united in its demands.
The Labour Member told the audience that his prime object in accepting the Executive Councillorship was to do as much good to the community as was possible. As a matter of fact, at his very first interview with the Viceroy, he presented a memorandum setting forth some of the grievances and demands of the community. He was glad that most of the demands had been agreed to, and in fact, in certain respects he could say that the Scheduled Castes had attained equality with the Muslim Community.” [l]
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- The date of address is not mentioned----Editor.
1 : People’s Herald, dated 7th April. 1945.