Vol. 10 · pages 1071–1075

1050 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I do not think it is necessary at this stage for me to make any very lengthy observations on the Bill as it has emerged from the Select Committee. The Bill had originally seven clauses. Out of the seven clauses it is only four clauses to which the Select Committee have made certain amendments. Those amendments are largely speaking in the direction of liberalising the original provisions contained in the Bill in favour of the workmen. Although I find that some of the amendments made in the Select Committee to the original draft of the Bill have gone somewhat beyond the intentions of the Government, I do not propose to raise any objections to the Bill as it has emerged from the Select Committee. I am prepared to accept it in the form in which it now stands. Sir, I move. Mr. Deputy President : Motion moved : “That the Bill further to amend the Factories Act, 1934 as reported by the Select Committee be taken into consideration.” 458 * Monthly Grant to Indian Federation of Labour 1632. Shri Satya Narayan Sinha : (a) Has the attention of the Honourable the Labour Member been drawn to the report published in the Sunday Morning Edition of the National Call, dated the 24th March regarding the data available in connection with the monthly grant of Rs. 13,000 for labour propaganda to the Indian Federation of Labour ? (b) Is it a fact that, when the pay of the propagandists had decreased, the cost of dissemination of news has proportionately increased ? (c) Is it a fact that the keeping of the accounts was severely criticised by the Auditor-General who has not satisfied with the accounting system ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) The statement of accounts of the Indian Federation of Labour which placed before the House on 19th March, 1946 shows that variations in the expenditure, resulting in decreases under the heading relating to the ‘pay of propagandists’ and corresponding increases under the heading relating to “dissemination of news” occurred in * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 8th April 1946, p. 3645.

1051 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS the months of May, June and July 1945. These variations were merely due to changes in the classification of headings of expenditure, introduced in April 1945, consequent on the transfer of control over the operations of the Labour propaganda scheme from the Information and Broadcasting Department to the Labour Department, whereby the expenditure on allowances to propagandists in charge of labour centres, workers clubs and other agencies of news dissemination, which was hitherto shown under the heading ‘pay of establishment’ was shown from May 1945 onwards, under the heading ‘honoraria for news dissemination’. The overall expenditure under the heading relating to ‘pay of propagandists ’ and ‘ dissemination of news ’ during these months, however, remained almost the same as in the preceding months. (c) The attention of the Honourable Member is invited to my answer to first part of (b) and (d) of question No. 31, asked by Mr. Lalchand Navalrai, on 2nd November, 1945, and also to para. 68 of the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the accounts of 1943-44. Shri Satya Narayan Sinha : What has happened after that ? Will the Honourable Member be pleased to place all these accounts before the Public Accounts Committee ? It is a waste of public money, I believe. The Honourable Dr. B.R. Ambedkar : It was considered by the Public Accounts Committee, and, as I have said in my reply, Honourable Member’s attention is invited to para 68 of the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the accounts of 1943-44. Diwan Chaman Lall : May I ask my Honourable friend as to what the position is after 1945 and whether this grant has now been discontinued ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It has been discontinued. Diwan Chaman Lall : What was the position between 1945 and its discontinuance ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have not got the information, but if my Honourable friend will put down a question I shall answer it. Diwan Chaman Lall : Is it a fact that the accounts were vetted at the time when this grant was discontinued ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must have notice of that.

1052 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Diwan Chaman Lall : My Honourable friend does not know whether they were vetted after that ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I could not tell you. Shri Satya Narayan Sinha : Will the Honourable Member look into the whole matter? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have. What more can I do? Mr. Manu Subedar : What is the present amount of the expenditure on labour propaganda through Indian Federation of Labour ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I have said, the grant has been discontinued. Shri Mohan Lal Saksena : May I know when was it discontinued? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Last year, if I mistake not. Miss Maniben Kara : Is it not true that the accounts were submitted by the Indian Federation of Labour according to the procedure laid down by the Department of Information and Broadcasting at the time that the grant was made ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I believe so. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Is it not a fact that the Indian Federation of Labour did not lay down their procedure for a long time even after the grant was made, and the Auditor General look very strong objection to the procedure followed by the Department itself? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I said in the course of my reply, this grant was really administered by the Information and Broadcasting Department. It was at a later stage that the administration was transferred to the Labour Department. Diwan Chaman Lall : Why? Miss Maniben Kara : Is it not true that prior to May 1944, the Federation was asked to dispense with submitting of the vouchers and they were asked merely to submit the accounts and also whether the Indian Federation of Labour did not do so according to the instructions of that Department ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am unable to say. The mailer was administered by another department. Miss Maniben Kara : Is it not a fact that the grant has now been stopped as a result of the termination of the war?

1053 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, I said so. Prof. N.G. Ranga : How many of those people who were formerly engaged as propagandists for ‘dissemination of news’ under this grant have come to be absorbed by the Information and Broadcasting Department ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The question ought to be put to the Honourable Member for Information and Broadcasting Department. Shri Mohan Lal Saksena : May I know whether the grant terminated before the termination of the war or afterwards ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot say exactly. Shri Mohan Lal Saksena : Was it not terminated last year in April 1945 ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. Diwan Chaman Lall : May I ask my Honourable friend whether the final accounts have been placed before the Public Accounts Committee ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : They will be placed before the public Accounts Committee in due course I am sure. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Is it not a fact that this amount of Rs. 30,000 was misused ? It was not used for the purpose for which this Government had allotted this money; and that it was used for the Honourable Member’s party propaganda. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must take strong objection to the statement made by my Honourable friend that this money was spent on party propaganda. You must withdraw that. Mr. President : Order, order. Prof. N. G. Ranga : He did not say that. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, he did. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Let the Honourable Member deny it on the floor of the House and not lose his temper. Mr. President : Order, order. Will the Honourable Member resume his seat ? The Honourable Member is not in order in saying that the Honourable Member for Labour was in temper. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : May I ask, is the Honourable Member entitled to lose his temper which he usually does in the House ? Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : The Honourable Member said that

1054 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES he strongly protests against such questions. Are these parliamentary words ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I said I strongly protest against the suggestion made by my Honourable friend that this money was used for the party to which I belong. I do not belong to the Indian Labour Federation. Mr. President : I have not been able to understand the objection of Dr. Sir Zia Uddin. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : Can the Honourable Member say : ‘I strongly protest against any particular question ?’ Diwan Chaman Lall : May I ask whether it is a fact that this money was utilized for the propaganda of the Indian Federation of Labour ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot say. So far as Government information goes, it was used for the purposes for which it was granted. Diwan Chaman Lall : May I ask my Honourable friend whether it is a fact that honest and decent organisations like the All-India Trade Union Congress refused to touch a single penny of such money ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : My Honourable friend is entitled to have his own opinion with regard to certain organisations. Diwan Chaman Lall : Is it a fact that my Honourable friend approached the All-India Trade Union Congress in this respect and that the All-India Trade Union Congress refused to touch this money ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : We approched all organisations. It was a general circular addressed to all organisations that if they care to come and have a scheme for maintaining the morale of labour, the Government of India was prepared to help in this respect. The Government of India did not invite any particular organisation to join this scheme. Diwan Chaman Lall : Is it a fact that the only organisation that did come to my Honourable friend and make use of this money was the Indian Federation of Labour ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Is the Honourable Member now satisfied at any rate by the discussion that has taken place as a result of so many supplementary questions, that this money has not been properly used and that there is a suspicion. In view of this, will the