Vol. 1 · pages 271–275

256 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES them with that common respect which one man owes to another. The idea that they have been born to their lot is so ingrained in their mind that it never occurs to them to think that their fate is anything but irrevocable. Nothing will ever persuade them that men are all made of the same clay, or that they have the right to insist on better treatment than that meted out to them. 22. The exact description of the treatment cannot be attempted. The word untouchable is an epitome of their ills and sufferings. Not only has untouchability arrested the growth of their personality but also it comes in the way of their material well-being. It has also deprived them of certain civil rights. For instance, in Konkan the untouchables are prohibited from using the public road. If some high caste man happens to cross him, he has to be out of the way and stand at such a distance that his shadow will not fall on the high caste man. The untouchable is not even a citizen. Citizen ship is a bundle of rights such as (1) personal liberty, (2) personal security, (3) rights to hold private property, (4) equality before law, (5) liberty of conscience, (6) freedom of opinion and speech, (7) right of assembly, (8) right of representation in a country’s Government and (9) right to hold office under the State. The British Government by gradual growth may be said to have conceded these rights at least in theory to its Indian subjects. The right of representation and the right to hold office under the State are the two most important rights that make up citizenship. But the untouchability of the untouchables puts these rights far beyond their reach. In a few places they do not even possess such insignificant rights as personal liberty and personal security, and equality before law is not always assured to them. These are the interests of the untouchables. And as can be easily seen they can be represented by the untouchables alone. They are distinctively their own interests and none else can truly voice them. A free trade interest can be voiced by a Brahmin, a Mohammedan or a Maratha equally well. But none of these can speak for the interests of the untouchables because they are not untouchables. Untouchability constitutes a definite set of interests which the untouchables alone can speak for. Hence it is evident that we must find the untouchables to represent their grievances which are their interests and, secondly, we must find them in such numbers as will constitute a force sufficient to claim redress. 23. Now, will a general territorial electorate provided for the adequate return of the untouchables to the law-making body ? Referring back to the figures we find that the untouchables (represented in the table by the Mahars), though they formed 69.4 in every thousand of the population, did not claim even a voter from their class. Under such circumstances it is impossible for them to elect their own man in a general electorate. On the other hand they must despair of any votes being cast by the touchable Hindus for an untouchable candidate. The gradation of castes produces a certain

257 EVIDENCE BEFORE THE SOUTHBOROUGH COMMITTEE theological basis which cuts the untouchables both ways : in the minds of the lower orders it creates a preference for the higher orders while it creates a contempt for the lower orders in the minds of the higher orders. Thus the ascending scale of preference and the descending scale of hatred and contempt beggars the untouchables both ways. Without giving a single vote to the untouchables the touchables are sure to make a large draft on the already meagre voting strength of the untouchables. 24. So situated, the untouchables with the largest interests at stake will be the greatest sufferers in a general territorial electorate. To give them an opening, special provision shall have to be made for their adequate representation. But before a scheme can be outlined it is necessary to see how much is the untouchable population in the Bombay Presidency. The Census Report for the Bombay Presidency for the year 1911 gives the following figures for castes which “cause pollution” : Bhungis . . . . . . . . 93,691 Chamars Mochis . . . . . . . . 306,478 Machigars Sochis Mhars . . . . . . . . 1,470,992 Holiyas Dheds Mangs . . . . . . . . 274,037 Madigs Total . . 2,145,193 To this must be added the . . Dhors amounting to . . . . . . 13,506 Total Untouchables . . 2,158,699 The following figures give the distribution of the untouchables by districts : District Total population 1911 Total Hindu population Total untouchable Population Percentage of untouchables to the total population Percentage of untouchables to the Hindu population 1 2 3 45 6 British Districts (excluding Aden). 19,628,477 14,920,267 1,627,980 8 10.9 1. Bombay City . . 979,445 664,042 89,052 9 11.6 Northern Division . . 3,685,383 3,117,263 245,050 6.6 7.8 2. Ahmedabad . . 827,809 693,155 78,869 10 11.4 3. Broach . . 306,717 192,935 22,390 7 11.6

258 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 1 234 56 4. Kaira . . 691,744 598,164 41,497 5.9 6.9 5. Panch Mahals . . 332,695 274,339 14,410 4 5 6. Surat . . 654,109 571,745 36,509 5.6 6 7. Thana . . 882,309 786,925 50,010 5.6 6 Central Division . . 6,387,064 5,993,828 7,73,184 12 13 8. Ahmednagar . . 945,305 855,676 116,929 12 13.6 9. Khandesh (East) . . 1,034,886 902,131 112,391 10.8 12 10. Khandesh (West) . . 580,723 474,200 36,809 6 7.7 11. Nasik . . 905,030 843,705 97,740 10.7 11 12. Poona . . 1,071,512 991,725 113.118 12.4 13.3 13. Satara . . 1,081,278 1,028,176 144,688 13 14 14. Sholapur . . 768,330 703,215 129,063 16.7 18 Southern Division . . 5,061,150 4,502,708 385,470 7.6 8.5 15. Belgaum . . 943,820 817,797 83,199 8.8 10.1 16. Bijapur . . 862,973 757,542 80,501 9 10.6 17. Dharwar . . 1,026,005 872,885 52,540 5 6 18. Kanara . . 430,548 383,624 10,767 2.4 2.9 19. Kolaba . . 594,156 560,266 51,108 8.5 9.1 20. Ratnagiri . . 1,203,638 1,110,594 107,354 8.9 9.7 Sind (British Districts) . . 3,513,435 837,426 135,224 3.8 16 25. The total population of the Bombay Presidency by the Census of 1911 (British districts only) is 19,626,477. Of this the untouchable population is 1,627,980 or 8 per cent of the total. Assuming for the present the Bombay Legislative Council to consist of 100 elected members, the untouchables should have 8 representatives to represent them in the Council. If we distribute one representative to every 200,000 of the people (which is just the ratio of 100 representatives to the 20 millions of the population), then the untouchables can by right claim 8 representatives to themselves. But the untouchables of the Bombay Presidency may be allowed to elect 9 members in all. The election of one additional member will be justified later on. 26. Allowing them to elect 9 members, the constituencies which are to elect them should be as follows: 1. The various districts of the Presidency except the City of Bombay and the Province of Sind should be grouped together on a linguistic basis as follows:

259 EVIDENCE BEFORE THE SOUTHBOROUGH COMMITTEE I. Gujarathi-speaking districts II. Marathi-speaking districts III. Kanarese-speaking districts 1. Ahmedabad . . . . 78,969 1. Thana . . . . 50,010 1. Dharwar . . . . 52,540 2. Broach . . . . 22,390 2. Kolaba . . . . 51,108 2. Bijapur . . . . 80,503 3. Kaira . . . . 41,497 3. Ratnagiri . . . . 107,354 3. Belgaum . . . . 83,199 4. Panch Mahals . . 14,410 4. Ahmednagar . . . . 116,929 4. Kanara . . . . 10,758 5. Surat . . . . 36,509 5. Khandesh West . . . . 36,809 6. Khandesh East. . . . . 112,391 7. Satara . . . . 144,738 8. Poona . . . . 148,118 9. Nasik . . . . 96,740 10. Sholapur . . . . 129,063

260 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 27. The following should be the constituencies of the untouchables and the number of representatives which each constituency should elect: Language District Population in each district Population in each constituency Number of the constituency Number of representatives to be elected by the constituency 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bombay City . . 89,052 89,052 I 1 1. Ahmedabad . . 78,869 2. Broach . . 22,390 I. Gujarathi 3. Kaira . . 41,497 193,675 II 1 4. Panch Mahals . . 14,410 5. Surat . . 36,509 1. Thana . . 50,010 2. Kolaba . . 51,108 208,472 III 1 3. Ratnagiri . . 107,354 4. Ahmednagar . . 116,929 II. Marathi 5. Khandesh East . . 112.391 363,869 IV 2 6. Khandesh West . . 36,809 7. Nasik . . 97,740 8. Satara . . 144,688 9. Poona . . 133,118 406,869 V 2 10. Sholapur . . 129,063 1. Belgaum . . 83,199 2. Bijapur . . 80,501 227,007 VI III. Kanarese 3. Dharwar . . 52,540 4. Kanara . . 10,767 Sind . . 135,224 135,224 VII 1 Total number of representatives to be elected by the untouchables of the Presidency.