Vol. 17, Part I · pages 191–195

166 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES On behalf of the Depressed Classes, Dr. Ambedkar signed it; and on behalf of the caste Hindus, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya signed it.” 1 “Text of Poona Pact The following is the text of the agreement:— (1) There shall be seats reserved for the Depressed Classes out of the general electorate seats in the Provincial Legislatures as follows : Madras 30; Bombay with Sind 15; Punjab 8; Bihar and Orissa 18; Central Provinces 20; Assam 7; Bengal 30; United Provinces 20; Total 148. These figures are based on the total strength of the Provincial Councils, announced in the Prime Minister’s decision. (2) Election to these seats shall be by Joint Electorates subject, however, to the following procedure : All the members of the Depressed Classes, registered in the General Electoral Roll in a constituency, will form an Electoral College, which will elect a panel of four candidates belonging to the Depressed Classes for each of such reserved seats, by the method of the single vote; the four persons getting the highest number of votes in such primary election, shall be candidates for election by the General Electorate. (3) Representation of the Depressed Classes in the Central Legislature shall likewise be on the principle of Joint Electorates and reserved seats by the method of primary election in the manner provided for in Clause 2 above, for their representation in the Provincial Legislatures. (4) In the Central Legislature, eighteen per cent of the seats allotted to the General Electorate for British India in the said legislature shall be reserved for the Depressed Classes. (5) The system of primary election to a panel of candidates for election to the Central and provincial legislatures, as hereinbefore mentioned, shall come to an end after the first ten years, unless terminated sooner by mutual agreement under the provision of Clause 6 below. 1: Keer, Pp. 213—214.

167ROLE OF ......................... INDIAN DEMOCRACY (6) The system of representation of the Depressed Classes by reserved seats in the Provincial and Central legislatures as provided for in Clauses 1 and 4 shall continue until determined by mutual agreement between the communities concerned in the settlement. (7) Franchise for the Central and Provincial Legislatures for the Depressed Classes shall be as indicated in the Lothian Committee Report. (8) There shall be no disabilities attaching to any one on the ground of his being a member of the Depressed Classes in regard to any elections to local bodies or appointment to the Public Services. Every endeavour shall be made to secure fair representation of the Depressed Classes in these respects, subject to such educational qualifications as may be laid down for appointment to the Public Services. (9) In every province out of the educational grant, an adequate sum shall be earmarked for providing educational facilities to the Members of the Depressed Classes.” 1 “Before signing the pact, the representatives of Untouchables from Madras insisted that they would not allow Rao Bahadur Rajah and his followers to sign the pact. And, if at all they were allowed, Dr. Ambedkar and his followers would not sign the pact. Accordingly Dr. Ambedkar and his followers signed the Pact. Thereafter Dr. Ambedkar was requested to make arrangement to obtain the signatures of Mr. Rajah and his followers. After lengthly discussions, it was decided that they would be allowed to sign the pact at the end of the document and in their individual capacities. Accordingly they signed. But it was a matter of great surprise that although Mr. Rajah had to sign at the end of the document, he interpolated his signature in between the signatures of Jaikar and Sapru.” 2 1: Writings and Speeches, Vol. 9, Pp. 88—89. 2: Janata, dated 1st October 1932.

168 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES “Signatories to Poona Pact, 24-9-1932, (Epic Fast, Pp. 153-154) (1) Madan Mohan Malaviya (12) B. S. Kamat (2) Tej Bahadur Sapru (13) G. K. Deodhar (3) M. R. Jayakar (14) A. V.Thakkar (4) B.R. Ambedkar (15) R. R. Bakhale (5) Shrinivasan (16) P. G. Solanki (6) M. C. Rajah (17) P. Baloo (7) C. V. Mehta (18) Govind Malaviya (8) C. Rajagopalachari (19) Devdas Gandhi (9) Rajendra Prasad (20) Biswas (10) G. D. Birla (21) P. N. Rajbhoj (11) Rameshwar Das Birla (22) Gavai G. A. (23) Shankarlal Bankar While signing the pact, “Rajagopalachari was so much overjoyed that he exchanged his fountain-pen with Dr. Ambedkar. The following signatures were added in Bombay at the final sitting of the Hindu Conference on September 25 :— (1) Lallubhai Samaldas (10) P. Kodandrao (2) Hansa Mehta (11) N. V. Gadgil (3) K. Natarajan (12) Manu Subhedar (4) Kamakoti Natarajan (13) Avantikabai Gokhale (5) Purushottamdas Thakurdas (14) K. J. Chitalia (6) Mathuradas Vassanji (15) Radhakant Malaviya (7) Walchand Hirachand (16) A. R. Bhatt (8) H.N. Kunzru (17) Colam (9) K. G. Limaye (18) Pradhan” 1 1: Reprinted, Khairmode, Vol. 5, Pp. 56—57.

169ROLE OF ......................... INDIAN DEMOCRACY Immediately the contents of the Pact were cabled to the British Cabinet, wired to the Viceroy, and also handed over to the Secretary of the Bombay Governor by each party separately, and next morning the leaders returned to Bombay to ratify the Pact. At 2 p. m. the leaders held a meeting at the Indian Merchants’ Chamber Hall.” 1 While reporting the meeting called for confirmation of Poona Pact, “The Bombay Chronicle” wrote, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was in chair. He, in his speech thanked all those who helped in materialising the Poona Pact. He specially thanked Dr. Ambedkar without whose help emergence of Poona Pact would have been difficult. Now the entire responsibility is on the shoulders of Hindus to bring the pact in practice. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, Sjt. Rajgopalachari spoke on this occasion. Mr. Mathuradas, Vissonji Khimji moved the resolution. Mr. Mathuradas Vissonji Khimji moved the resolution ratifying the Poona Pact.” 2 At this meeting the following resolution was passed :— “This Conference confirms the Poona agreement arrived at between the leaders of the Caste Hindus and Depressed Classes on September 24, 1932, and trusts that the British Government will withdraw its decision creating Separate Electorates within the Hindu Community and accept the agreement in full. The Conference urges that immediate action be taken by Government so as to enable Mahatma Gandhi to break his fast within the terms of his vow and before it is too late. The Conference appeals to the leaders of the communities concerned to realize the implications of the agreement and of this resolution and to make earnest endeavour to fulfil them. “This Conference resolves that henceforth, amongst Hindus, no one shall be regarded as an Untouchable by reason of his birth, and that those who have been so regarded hitherto will have the same right as other Hindus in regard to the use of public wells, public schools, public roads, and all other public 1: Keer, P. 214. 2: The Bombay Chronicle, dated 26th September 1932.

170 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES institutions. This right shall have statutory recognition at the first opportunity and shall be one of the earliest Acts of the Swaraj Parliament, if it shall not have received such recognition before that time. “It is further agreed that it shall be the duty of all Hindu leaders to secure, by every legitimate and peaceful means, an early removal of all social disabilities now imposed by custom upon the so-called Untouchable Classes, including the bar in respect of admission to temples.” 1 Mr. Sapru said, “Dr. Ambedkar faught and fought valiantly for the cause which he represented and he promised to be a good fighter in the future life of the country. Speaking in support of the resolution confirming the Poona Pact Dr. B. R. Ambedkar who was greeted with cheers when he rose, declared : “I believe it is no exaggeration for me to say that no man a few days ago was placed in a greater dilemma than I was. There was placed before me a difficult situation in which I had to make a choice between two difficult alternnatives. There was the life of the greatest man in India to be saved. There was also for me the problem to try and safeguard the interests of community which I was in my humble way trying to do at the Round Table Conference according to my light. I am happy to be able to say that it has become possible through the co-operation of all of us to find a solution so as to save the life of the Mahatma and at the same time consistent with such protection as is necessary for the interests of the “Depressed” Classes in the future. I think, in all these negotiations a large part of the credit must be attributed to Mahatma Gandhi himself. I must confess that I was immensely surprised, when I met him, that there was so much in common between him and me. (cheers) In fact, any disputes whenever they were earned to him and Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru has told you that the disputes that were carried to him were of a very crucial character. I was astounded to see that the man who held such divergent views from mine at 1: Writings and Speeches, Vol. 9, P. 103.