I ALWAYS......................HEART 465
Pollux praised Dr. Ambedkar for his achievement in the following words published in the Illustrated Weekly of India, dated June 15, 1952.
“ THESE NEWS MAKE NEWS”
“Whether in office or out of it, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is always news. Earlier in the week he once again hit the headlines with a ruthless speech in the Upper House, in which he attacked the Government’s Kashmir policy towards the formulation of which he is supposed to have taken a share as Minister in the last Cabinet. The Treasury Benches will, no doubt, have a sign of relief at the news that the formidable Doctor is going out of the country on June 1. He is flying to New York to receive the Honorary Degree of LL.D. from his old University, Columbia.
He should have received this degree three years ago, at the hands of General Eisenhower who was then President of the University, but Cabinet responsibilities and, later, electioneering came in the way of the trips and the university was reluctant to confer it in absentia. Dr. Ambedkar will be visiting the United States of America, after 20 years. He told Pollux that Mrs. Ambedkar was not accompanying him on the trip for lack of an adequate supply of dollars. While in New York he plans to enter a clinic for medical treatment.”
[Column 4 of the article by “Pollux” in the Illustrated Weekly of India, Sunday, 1-6-1952, page 8].
Dr. Ambedkar was to leave for New York on the night of Sunday, the 1st of June 1952. His friends, well wishers, fans and the employees of People’s Education Society arranged a Grand Dinner in his honour, on the night of Saturday the
31st May 1952, the previous day of his departure at specious lawns of the Cricket Club of India. Many eminent personalities like Principal Dr. V. S. Patankar, the Secretary of People’s Education Society, Mr. K. V. Chitre, Mr. Prabhakar Padhye, Mr. B. H. Rao, Mr. W. Alfred, Chairman of the Union of Journalist graced the dinner by their august presence. On this occasion. Patankar said that many among Indians feared that