Vol. 10 · pages 651–655

630 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 63 * Muslim Executive Engineers in the Central Public Works Department 421. Maulvi Muhammad Abdul Ghani : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state how many Executive Engineers have been taken in from the various Provinces in the Central Public Works Department during the last two years and how many of them are Muslims ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Twenty-two, of whom two were Muslims. Three, including one Muslim, have been since reverted. 64 @ Temporary Buildings in New Delhi 422. Sir F. E. James : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state: (a) whether his attention has been drawn to the notice erected near certain temporary buildings in course of construction in Connaught Place, intimating that these buildings are to be demolished immediately after the war; and (b) if the same condition applies to the temporary buildings erected on Queens way ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) All the buildings have been constructed as temporary buildings. The intention is that they shall be pulled down as soon as may be after the conclusion of the war, though no final decision has yet been taken. Sir F. E. James : Will the Honourable Member explain the difference between immediately after the war and ‘as soon as may be’, because some of the buildings in Connaught Place are placarded as ‘to be demolished immediately after the war’ ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 30th March 1943, p. 1583. @ Ibid., p. 1583.

631 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not think the placard makes any difference. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai: Why should they be demolished and not used for some other purpose ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I said no final decision has yet been taken. 65 * Paucity of Muslim Officer in the Printing and Stationery Establishment under Labour Department 423. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state whether the Controller of Printing and Stationery, the Deputy Controller, Stationery, the Assistant Controller, Printing, the Assistant Controller, Stationery, and the Assistant Secretary and the Superintendent of the Printing Branch in the Labour Department are all non-Muslims? If so, what steps do Government propose to take to give due. representation to Muslims in these posts ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar . The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative except that the present Superintendent of the Stationery and Printing Branch in the Labour Department is a Muslim. All posts mentioned the question are ordinarily filled by promotion on merit and the communal representation rules do not apply to cases of promotion to selection posts. In the case of appointments to be made subject to communal considerations the rules are and will be followed. Government do not consider that any other steps are necessary. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : May I ask the Honourable Member if it is a fact that when two incumbents of the same qualifications were in the field, a Muslim was appointed on Rs. 50 and a non-Muslim of the same qualification was appointed on Rs. 200. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 30th March 1943, p. 1583.

632 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no information. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : Will you kindly make inquiries. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will make inquiries. 66 * Paucity of Muslim Officers in Printing and Stationery Establishment under Labour Department 424. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to slate the number of Muslim gazetted officers in the office of the Controller of Printing and Stationery, the Central Stationery Office, Calcutta, the Central Publication Branch, and the various Government of India Presses ? (b) Is it a fact that the post of Assistant Controller in the office of the Controller, Printing and Stationery, has ever since its creation been held either by Bengali Hindus or Christians and a Muslim has never been considered for this appointment ? If so, why ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Two. One in the Forms Press, Calcutta and the other in the Government of India Press, New Delhi. (b) The answer to the first part is in the negative. As regards the second part, I may say that this post is filled by promotion and not by direct recruitment. There has never been any Muslim senior enough lo be considered. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : In this connection may I ask the Honourable Member if it is a fact that the Muslim appointed on Rs. 50 having found no prospects of being promoted got himself transferred to Bengal where he is getting Rs. 225 and the man who was appointed on Rs. 200 is now getting Rs. 350 and the claim of the * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 30th March 1943, p. 1584.

633 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Muslim who is already senior and also drawing Rs. 250 has been overlooked ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no information but if my Honourable friend so desires, I can make inquiries. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : Will you kindly make inquiries ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. 67 * Paucity of Muslim Officers in Printing and Stationery Establishments under Labour Department 425. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state : (a) the present strength of the Assistant Managers of the various Government of India Presses and how many of them are Muslim ? (b) the number of Muslim Assistants and clerks, separately, in the Printing Branch of the Labour Department, and in the Administration Branch of the office of the Controller of Printing and Stationery ; and (c) the number of Muslim Superintendents in the office of the Controller of Printing and Stationery and in the Publication Branch ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Three. One of them is a Muslim. (b) In the Stationery and Printing Branch of the Labour Department there is one Muslim Assistant and in the Administrative and Finance Branch of the Controller’s Office one Assistant and one clerk. (c) None. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 30th March 1943, p. 1585.

634 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 68 * Discrimination Between Muslim and Non-Muslim Apprentices in the Printing and Stationery Department 426. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state whether it is a fact that suitable men are trained as apprentices in the Printing and Stationery Department of the Government of India ? (b) Are these persons eligible for appointment to higher posts in the various presses ? (c) Is it a fact that one such apprentice, Mr. B. C. Sen Gupta, has been appointed in the Government of India Press, New Delhi, on Rs. 200 per mensem and another such apprentice—a Muslim—was not given any suitable job and had ultimately to get himself transferred to the Government Press, Calcutta, as Assistant Manager ? (d) If the reply to part (c) is in the affirmative, what are the reasons for such discrimination ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) Yes, they are eligible, but have no specific claim. (c) Mr. Sen Gupta was initially appointed by mistake on the old scale of Rs. 200-10-250. On discovery of the mistake he was brought on to the proper new scale starting at Rs. 100. The Muslim was appointed in the proper new scale starting at Rs. 100. Since then both have been promoted. (d) Does not arise. Maulvi Syed Murtuza Sahib Bahadur : May I know if both of them have been promoted to the same scale of salary ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I should think so. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1943, 30th March 1943, p. 1585.