Vol. 10 · pages 641–645

620 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Maulvi Muhammad Abdul Ghani : Do Government propose to recruit Muslim officers from provinces if they are found fit ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. Mr. Jamnadas M. Mehta : When the communal proportion is restored, will those who have already been appointed be dismissed ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: They are all temporary appointments. Mr. Jamnadas M. Mehta : So they will be dismissed. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : They are temporary. There is no question of dismissal. Mr. Jamnadas M. Mehta continued standing in his scat even after putting the question. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): When the Honourable Member has asked a question, he ought to resume his seat. Mr. Jamnadas M. Mehta : I want to ask another question, Sir. That means that those who came to your assistance—at the critical moment will be given a short shrift ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The appointments are temporary and there is no question of dismissal or discharge. Khan Bahadur Shaikh Fazl-i-Haq Piracha : What is the duration of these temporary appointments ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: It is quite impossible to say. Khan Bahadur Shaikh Fazl-i-Haq Piracha : Is it not laid down in the rules or in the resolution passed by the Government that any temporary appointment for three months and over should be made in accordance with the Resolution of the Government keeping in view the percentages of various communities ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : All that must be subject to emergency. 52 * New Assistant Estate Officers and Assistants to the Estate Officer 320. Khan Bahadur Shaikh Fazl-i-Haq Piracha : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state the number of the new * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 16th Mareh 1943, p. 1125.

621 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS posts of Assistant Estate Officers and Assistants to the Estate Officer created during the last two years ? (b) Has any of the above posts been given to a Muslim ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Number of Assistant Estate Officers—three ; number of Assistants to the Estate Officer—one. (b) No. Three of the posts were filled by selection and promotion from among the Superintendents in the Chief Engineer’s Office. This is the normal method of recruitment to these posts. No suitable Muslim Superintendent was available. The fourth post was filled by an Officer temporarily on deputation from the Burma P.W.D. Khan Bahadur Shaikh Fazl-i-Haq Piracha : May I know if Mr. Karim Baksh was the seniormost Superintendent at the time when these posts were filled up ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I want notice. Khan Bahadur Shaikh Fazl-i-Haq Piracha : May I know if Mr. Brown, Mr. Grant, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. Bronkhurst held the posts of Superintendent ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must have notice of that. Mr. Muhammad Nauman : May I know whether all enquiries were made, whether other people were efficient or not, and when the Honourable Member wants notice for everything, he must have come here with proper replies if no Muslim was found fit ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no doubt that proper enquiries must have been made. Mr. Muhammad Nauman : But the Honourable Member has no information on that at least. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim) : That is not a question. Next question. 53 * Contracts in Aviation Works 321. Khan Bahadur Shaikh Fazl-i-Haq Piracha: (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state whether it is a fact that in the case of Aviation works it has been the practice of Government * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 16th March 1943, p. 1125.

622 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES to award contracts for emergency works by private negotiations without calling for tenders ? (b) What is the total value of contracts awarded by private negotiations during the calendar year 1942 ? (c) What is the total value of such contracts awarded by private negotiations to Muslim contractors ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The information asked for by the Honourable Member is being collected and will be laid on the table in due course. 54 * Grievances of the Staff of the Binding Department of the Government of India Press, New Delhi 338. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if it is a fact that as the annual increment is not given to the people of the Binding Department of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, they wish to go to other Departments when vacancies fall vacant there, but their applications are not forwarded ? (b) Is it or is it not a fact that some people were given a trial in which they were successful, but they have not been provided with a situation until now ? (c) Is it or is it not a fact that many a time the Manager has been asked that until the annual increment is enforced in the Binding Department, those who are already working in that Department should be given a chance and situations should be provided for successful candidates in preference to outsiders, but the Manager did not heed these requests ? (d) Are Government prepared to take the successful candidates in the ‘Distributory’ section so that those who have passed the test may not suffer? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 20th March 1943, p. 1269.

623 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. Transfer of industrial employees from one establishment to another is governed by the National Service (Technical Personnel) Ordinance, 1940. The application of one warehouseman who applied last January for service in the Air Force was in fact forwarded. (b) One warehouseman qualified as a distributor in the test held in 1941. As there were other candidates who had qualified earlier and as the post of distributor does not lie in the ordinary range of promotion of warehousemen, the qualified warehouseman was not appointed to the vacancies that occurred. (c) The answer to the first part is in the negative. The second part does not arise. (d) The successful candidates will be considered for distributors’ posts in accordance with the rules. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : As regards the answer to part (d) of the question may I know the position exactly as regards those who had been given a trial and were found successful ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I said, there were other candidates who had qualified earlier. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi: But as far as those persons who were found successful are concerned, will their claims be considered ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Certainly. 55 * Selection Grade Posts in the Binding Department of the Government of India Press, New Delhi 339. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : (a) When selection posts have been announced in nearly all the Departments of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state why no such selection grade posts are given to the Binding Department ? (b) Is it or is it not a fact that previously the strength of the Binding Department was 50/60 persons and for the supervision of their work * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 20th March 1943, pp. 1269-70

624 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES there was one foreman, one Jamadar and one Binding Examiner, but now that the strength has increased to 135 persons, there are still only three persons in the supervisory rank ? (c) Are Government prepared to divide the Binding Department into two sections and provide one more Foreman Jamadar and Examiner . The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) There is a selection post of Bindery and Warehouse Foreman in the Bindery of the Press. (b) The previous strength was over sixty and there was only one supervisory post of a Bindery Warehouse Foreman. The present strength in the Bindery is 107 including 20 temporary war posts and there are now three persons in the supervisor rank. (c) No. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : I did not quite catch the reply of the Honourable Member. May I know whether he admits the increase of numbers that I have given ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. I said that the present strength in the Bindery is 107. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : With that increase, will the Honourable Member consider the advisability of increasing the supervisory staff in view of the increase in the number of the lower paid ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will consider. 56 * Grievances of the Piece Workers in the Machine Department of the government of India Press, New Delhi 340. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether or not it is a fact that there are several persons in the Machine Department of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, who are employed on piece work and several on salary ? (b) Is it a fact that all piece workers are not given an equal amount of work with the result that some got mere wages than others ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 20th March 1943, p. 1270.