Vol. 10 · pages 1081–1085

1060 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad: Our opinion is that the entire Department is very inefficient. As regards the other lists of appointments that he has for posts of Executive Engineer, there is not a single Muslim. Mr. President: Order, order. Will the Honourable Member put his question ? Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad: I am putting this question. Is it not a fact that in the list now prepared, there is not a single appointment for Muslims ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : How does my Honourable friend know it ? The list has not come to me. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : The outcome is that not a single man is a Muslim. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not understand how my Honourable friend can make that statement. The Government has taken no action. Mr. President : Order, order. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : Can the Honourable Member deny that there is not a single Muhammadan in the list which he has prepared for Superintending Engineer? The Honorable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I said, I have not the list. The file has not been sent to me. My Honourable friend will have to wait until the Department has taken action before he criticizes. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad: Then it will be too late. Mr. President : Order, order. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Is the Honourable Member prepared to agree that the percentage of Muslims in these appointments of Superintending Engineers and others falls far below the 25 per cent. reserved quota for Mussalmans under G. R. Home Department of 1934, and if so is the Honourable member going to take steps to maintain the quota? Mr. President: Has not the Honourable Member already answered that? Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : No. Sir. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The figures are so obvious. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : It means that the Honourable Member agrees that the Muslim quota is far below the 25 per cent. May I ask

1061 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS the Honourable member whether he is prepared to take immediate steps to see that the Muslim quota is properly carried out ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The Honourable Member’s attention is invited to my reply to part (c) of the question. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : If that position is accepted no Muslims will ever be appointed. The Honourable Member will ask somebody else to carry on the work. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The real complaint is against the circular issued by the Home Department and not against the Labour Department. 462 * Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Bill The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): I move for leave to introduce a Bill to require employers in industrial establishments formally to define conditions of employment under them. Diwan Chaman Lall (West Punjab : Non-Muhammadan) : May I, on a point of order enquire how this Bill can be moved when another Bill is being discussed ? Would it not be proper to take up this motion after the other Bill has been discussed ? Mr. President: We have not started with the discussion of the other Bill which was pending before the House. This is purely a formal matter. It is more convenient, and so far as I know there have been precedents also where a pending matter before the House has been postponed and another matter taken up. It is purely a matter of procedure and adjustment. The question is : “ That leave be granted to introduce a Bill to require employers in industrial establishments formally to define conditions of employments under them.” The motion was adopted. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I introduce the Bill. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 8th April 1946, p. 3667.

1062 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 463 * Papers Laid on the Table Reports of the Labour Investigation Committee The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): Sir, I lay on the table a copy each of the following Reports of the Labour Investigation Committee:— (1) Report on an Enquiry into Conditions of Labour in the Silk Industry in India. (2) Report on an Enquiry into conditions of Labour in the Cement Industry in India. (3) Report on Labour Conditions in Carpet Weaving. (4) Report on Labour Conditions in the Iron Ore Industry. (5) Report on Labour Conditions in Coir Mats and Matting Industry. (6) Report on Labour Conditions in the Mica Mining and Mica Manufacturing Industry. (7) Report on an Enquiry into Conditions of Labour in Dockyards in India. (8) Report on Labour Conditions in the Shellac Industry. (9) Report on Rickshaw Pullers. (10) Report on Labour Conditions in the Rice Mills. (11) Report on Labour Conditions in the Glass Industry. (12) Report on an enquiry into conditions of Labour in the Bidi, Cigar and Cigarette industries. (13) Report on an Enquiry into Conditions of Labour in Plantations in India. (14) Report on an enquiry into conditions of Labour in the Gola Mining Industry in India. (15) Report on Labour Conditions in Potteries. (16) Report on Labour Conditions in the Chemical Industry. (17) Report on an Enquiry into Conditions of Labour in the Manganese Mining Industry in India. (18) Report on an Enquiry into Conditions of Labour in the Mineral Oil Industry in India. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 9th April 1946, p. 3744.

1063 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (19) Report on an Enquiry into Conditions of Labour in the Woollen Textile Industry in India. (20) Report on an Enquiry into conditions of Labour in the Paper Mill Industry in India. Sjt. N. V. Gadgil (Bombay Central Division : NonMuhammadan Rural): These papers are not circulated. Will the Honourable Member be good enough to supply them to those who apply for them ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I shall certainly consider it, Sir. We have not got sufficient number of copies. Mr. President: The present request is to supply copies to those only who ask for them. 464 * Minimum Wages Bill The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): Sir, I move for leave to introduce a Bill to provide for fixing minimum wages in certain employments. Mr. President: The question is : “ That leave be granted to introduce a Bill to provide for fixing minimum wages in certain employments. ” The motion was adopted. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I introduce the Bill. 465 @ Mica Mines Labour Welfare Fund Bill Presentation of Report of Select Committee The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): Sir, I beg to present the report of the Select Committee on the Bill to constitute a fund for the financing of activities to promote the welfare of labour employed in the mica mining industry. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 11th April 1946, p. 3842. @ Ibid. p. 3871

1064 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 466 * Deposits of Thorium 1740. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Will the Honourable the Labour member be pleased to state if deposits of thorium which is used for the manufacture of atomic energy have been discovered in many parts of India ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The Honourable Member’s attention is invited to the reply given in this House to starred question No. 1276, on 26th March, 1946. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer: Is it a fact that considerable deposits of thorium have been found in the Travancore State, and, if so, have Government taken any steps to control this in the matter of disposal ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: It is in an Indian State and the Government of India have no right to interfere in that. 1743. Sardar Mangal Singh : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) the number of refrigerators purchased by Government for installations at the residential buildings at Delhi and New Delhi; (b) the terms and conditions on which they are let on hire to the tenants of those buildings ; (c) the particulars of officials of the Estate Office and Public Works Department, who are provided with the temporarily and permanently; (d) whether they are not available for the use of the Honourable Members of the central Legislature during their occupation of those buildings of official duty in connection with Sessions and committees; (e) if it is a fact that most of the staff of the office and department not in occupation of those buildings are provided with them ; and (f) if Government propose to make them available for use of the Honourable members of the Central Legislature by withdrawing them from the staff of that office and of that department; if not, why not ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 12th April 1946, p. 3873.