538 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
in him only enthusiasm is generated and he only excels. Such a strange philosophy has been incorporated in the Hindu religion which can never promote enthusiasm. Circumstances making man unenthusiastic have been maintained for thousands of years, then at the most such people will be produced who would fill their stomach by clerical jobs. What else will happen ? To protect these clerks, a big clerk is needed.
The reason behind man’s enthusiasm is mind. You know the owners of mills. They appoint managers for their mills and get the works done in the mills through their managers. Mill owners are involved in some or the other bad habits, their minds have not been developed culturally. We started a movement to infuse enthusiasm in our minds, then the education would be started. I began my education by wearing a loin-cloth. I could not get even water to drink in the school. I spent many days without water in the school. The same situation was maintained even in the Elphinston College in Bombay. If such is the situation, what else conditions will be created. Only clerks will be produced.
Lord Linlithgow was the Viceroy when I was in the Executive Council of Delhi. I said to him, “In addition to the normal expenditure, you spend Rs. Three lac on the Aligarh University for the education of the Muslims. In the same way you give Rs. Three lac to the Banaras Hindu University. But we are neither Hindus nor Muslims. If you think of doing something for us, then thousand times more than them should be done. Do at least as much for us as Muslims.” Then Lord Linlithgow said, “Whatever you have to say give me in writing.” Accordingly I prepared a memorandum. That manuscript is still with me. Europeans were very sympathetic. They accepted my proposal. The problem was on which item the money had to spend. They thought that, our girls are not educated, they should be provided with education. Boarding be started for them, and the money should be spent on that. If our girls are provided education and made educated, where, at home, is the material to cook various types of dishes? What is the end result of their education ? The Government spent the money on other heads and withheld the amount for education. Therefore, one day I went to Lord Linlithgow and regarding the expenditure on education I said, “If you do not get angry, I would like to ask you a question. I am alone equal to fifty graduates,