372 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
which they formulated. You know that I have delivered many speeches which have been guided by the consideration that this country should find it easy to achieve its freedom. At the same time I am quite determined to say that if the
60 million Untouchables are not safeguarded by means of political rights and if I do not find proper gesture on the part of the Congress people in the matter of settlement of the safeguards for the Scheduled Castes, no one, I am sure, will blame me if I take that step viz., to dissociate myself from the Constituent Assembly. You should, however, remember that in the Constitutent Assembly of 292 or so I am one single, solitary individual. You should also bear in mind that no matter how great a man may have the intellect or the capapcity to argue and to defend, he is after all one man, a single individual. If the rest of 291 are determined not to listen the reason, not to listen the argument but to oppose their opponent you can well realize my possible helplessness in the Constituent Assembly of
292 where I am only one.
I hope that good sense will prevail and we shall achieve what we want ultimately. What will count with us is an organization. You must also remember all political rights that we might get by our perpetual efforts are bound to be for a period. There will be a time when these rights will vanish, not only for us but for everybody in this contry. When these rights vanish what we shall have to depend upon is our organization, our strength and unity. Therefore, we must be determined to unite. (Here Baba Saheb referred to the message sent to the Jai Bheem and narrated the story contained therein.)*
The only message which I can give you is suffering and more suffering. There can be no other method except through suffering and you should not be disheartened because our people in some villages have suffered and are undergoing great sufferings. We shall have to persue our task with determination and decide to be organized. There need not be any fear of suffering in this country.
- See Pp. 83-85 Section I, part II, of this Volume, under title “Not to stop until the Untouchables Recover Manhood.”