8
......OTHERWISE ADVANCED HINDU CASTES WOULD REMAIN IN POWER AND RULE THE MINORITIES
“About ten thousand men and women of the Bombay Depressed Classes assembled on the maidan (ground) outside the Damodar Thackersey Hall, Parel, Bombay, on Thursday,
2nd October 1930 evening to wish bon voyage to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who is proceeding to England on Saturday to take part in the Round Table Conference as a representative of the Depressed Classes. There was great enthusiasm at the meeting which was presided over by Dr. P. G. Solanki.
The Chairman, at the outset, referred to the services rendered by Dr. Ambedkar to the Depressed Classes in various ways and assured the audience that if there was any man who was best qualified to represent them at the Round Table Conference it was Dr. Ambedkar. He wished him, on their behalf, a pleasant voyage and success in his great mission.
Mr. Shivatarkar then read an address from the people expressing their good wishes to Dr. Ambedkar.
Dr. Ambedkar addressed the meeting at great length. He spoke of the necessity of carrying on propaganda among the Depressed Classes with a view to keeping their interest alive in matters relating to their political and social welfare. He announced that it had been decided by the leaders of the Depressed Classes to revive their old journal under the new name of Janta ( i.e., the “People,”)
Referring to his forthcoming visit to England, Dr. Ambedkar said that they were being told by the Congress people that it was no use going to the Round Table Conference; he, however, thought something good was sure to come out of the Conference and the Depressed Classes were bound to benefit by it. He could not associate himself with the methods that were being adopted by the Congress people in Bombay, because they had