Vol. 15 · pages 846–850

827PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES You say that you would like your resignation to take effect immediately. But you are good enough to suggest that you might stay on till some of the Bills and Motions standing in your name are dealt with. I shall look into this matter. In any event this session is going to last only till the 6th of October, that is a little more than a week from today. There is not much room left for priorities during a few days. We shall try to push in your Bills and Motions as soon as possible. I hope therefore that you will stay on till the end of the session. With all good wishes to you”. To that he sent an answer on the 1st October:— “I am in receipt of your letter dated the 28th September 1951, in which you have informed me of the acceptance of my resignation. Since you desire me to continue in office till the end of this session, which I understand will terminate on the 6th instant. I am prepared to fall in line with your wishes in this behalf. I also like to inform you that on the 6th October 1951 I propose to make a statement in Parliament which a retiring Minister usually does.” My reply dated 3rd October was,— “You can certainly make a statement in the house on the last day of the session. I do not know yet when the last day will be. It seems most unlikely that it would be the 6th October. It, is possible that I might also like to make some statement following yours. I should be grateful, therefore, if you could send me a copy of the statement you intend to make.” Dr. Ambedkar’s letter of 4th October: “I am in receipt of your letter No…….. dated October 3, 1951. You have said that I should make a statement in the House on the last day of the Session. Does this mean that I should not make my statement on the 6th. If the 6th does not happen to be the last day of the Session ? I should like to have a clear idea about the day on which I am to make my statement. For I have to inform the Deputy Speaker. I observe that you wish to make a statement following mine. It is not customary to make a statement such as the one you propose to do. You are free to exercise any right which the Rules of Business give you. Personally I will raise no objection to your making a statement following mine. Regarding your request for an advance copy of my statement, as you know, I am not in the habit of writing out my speeches’ or my statement. So far I have not written out the text of my statement. If I find time to write out my statement in time. I shall be glad to send you an advance copy thereof. How far in advance I am of course unable to say.”

828 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES My letter to Dr. Ambedkar, dated 4th October:— “Your letter of the 4th October. It is clear to me that the session will last at least till October 11th. I informed the House so. If it suits you, you can make a statement on that day. As regards my making a statement, I have not definitely decided to do so. But I thought perhaps I might like to say a few words on that occasion.” Dr. Ambedkar’s letter, also dated the 4th October:— “As suggested in your letter No. 3373-PM dated 4th October. I am agreeable to your proposal and will make my statement in the Parliament on the 11th October. I have spoken to the Deputy Speaker and he has agreed to allow me to make my statement on that date after the business standing in my name, namely the Delimitation Order, is finished.” That was the last letter, Sir. *Shri Kamath : Before we proceed further, may I have your permission to ask whether yesterday, Dr. Ambedkar, who is now present in the House, was informed that the correspondence between him and the Prime Minister was going to be read in the House ? It was only fair,—and courtesy to the Minister demanded it—that he should have been informed that his correspondence was going to be read. If he was not informed, the House ought to know why he was not informed. I do not know whether he was informed or not. He might tell the House whether he was informed or not. Mr. Deputy Speaker: I am not primarily concerned with all that. When the spokesman of Government wants to read out certain papers in connection with this, I naturally allow that. Apart from that, I fixed 6 O’clock for Dr. Ambedkar to make his statement. At that time, he was not present in his seat. Then, all relevant matters relating to that and these letters were read. It was expected ; therefore no special notice need be given. *P. D., Vol. 16, Part II, 12th October 1951, pp. 4751-53.

829PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES Shri Kamath : But, was the other party to the correspondence informed ? Mr. Deputy Speaker: If he chooses to be absent, what can be done ? Shri Kamath: He left the Chamber, saying that he had resigned. Would he have been permitted to make a statement as an ex-Minister ? I think he was not told that at 6 O’clock the correspondence would be read. Mr. Deputy Speaker: Making a statement is not as a Minister, not while in office, but after resigning. Whatever may be the point of time, one minute after resignation, he ceases to be a Minister; he is an ex-Minister. According to the rules, a Member who has resigned his office of Minister may, with the consent of the Speaker make a personal statement in explanation of his resignation. The moment he resigns and it is accepted by the Prime Minister, whatever may be those rules, I am not concerned with that, when he resigns and wants to make a statement, he does not make a statement as a Minister. At that time, he is only an ex-Minister. I would not allow any surprises to be sprung upon me. If the hon. Member wanted to raise any question, if he had either talked to me in chamber or told me in advance. I would have referred to these matters. Let us not continue this further. Shri Kamath: May I submit, again, that this surprise was sprung yesterday by the correspondence being read. As Dr. Ambedkar is present today, will you permit him, if he so desires, to make a statement on the correspondence read out yesterday ? Mr. Deputy Speaker: I am aware that the hon. Member is quite able to take care of himself. All I wish to say is that I cannot answer hypothetical propositions here. Therefore, if the hon. Member wants to do any particular thing himself, if he himself is anxious or wants to make a statement or do something like that, I shall consider the matter.

830 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Dr. Ambedkar (Bombay): I only want to make just two observations, with your permission. When I left the chamber, I think I was quite sure that I left the impression upon the House and upon yourself that I would not be prepared to make the statement at six o’clock. I think I made that quite clear. I am not asking for an opportunity now, or saying that I feel injured by the prime Minister having read out the correspondence at six o’clock, knowing full well that I had stated clearly in the morning that I was not going to obey the observations that you had made, that I should make a statement at six o’clock. Whether it was justified on the part of the Prime Minister or not I leave it to you, without first informing me that he was reading out the correspondence. That I leave to you and the Prime Minister, because I know there are other channels open to me of correcting any wrong impression that the correspondence might have made. Mr. Deputy Speaker: It is always open to the hon. Member to change his mind: but I had fixed six o’clock and six o’clock stands. Therefore I was observing that the hon. Member was not in his seat at six o’clock. zz (Dr. ambedkar’s statement in explanation of his resignation from the Cabinet was distributed to the Press and also to the Members of Parliament which has been included as Annexure I in Part II of Vol. 14 in this Series— Ed.)

SECTION VII 19TH MAY 1952 TO 6TH DECEMBER 1956