Vol. 17, Part I · pages 356–360

331REPRESENTATION..........MANGS ETC. APPENDIX II Extract from the Proceedings of 23rd Backward Class Board Meeting held in the II Advisor’s Room, Secretariat, Bombay, on 7th June 1940 at 11 a.m. Resolution No. 6 :This Board strongly protests against the policy enhancing Judi on Mahar Inam lands recently brought into operation in the Province of Bombay under which an addition to the Judi out of all proportion has been made on the already poverty-stricken Watandar Mahars, Mangs and Vethiyas and demands that the same policy be withdrawn immediately and the levy made thereunder be cancelled as much as the said policy is contrary to the underlying principle of the Hereditary Village Offices’ Act, and is also harsh and unjust. Mr. B. K. Gaikwad’s proposal No. 2 was discussed and adopted with slight modification as Resolution No. 7. As regards the rate of payment of daily allowance, it was suggested that a Mahar or Vethiya should be given a daily allowance of annas 6 whenever he is sent out of his village to perform Government duties. (Mr. B. K. GAIKWAD) Resolution No. 7 :This Board resolves that the Government Resolution No. 7420/ 33 of the Revenue Department, dated 13-9-1938, containing a list of duties to be performed by Mahars, Mangs, Vethiyas, impose upon them an intolerable burden which is impossible for these Watandars to bear. This Board is, therefore, of opinion that these Watandars should not be called upon to perform duties listed at item Nos. 1,3, 5, 9, 13 and 19 without payment of extra remuneration in the form of daily wages of not less than annas six whenever they are called upon to perform these duties. (a) The Board is of opinion that Watandars be exempted from discharging duty No. 15 as it is, in the opinion of the Board, a duty that should be discharged by the Police. (b) The Board is of opinion that No. 2 should be confined

332 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES to call the Khatedars by “Bataki” or “Davandi” and not be extended to running several times after recalcitrant Khatedars. (c) The Board is of opinion that the Watandar Mahars, Mangs, Vethiyas be exempted from discharging duty No. 7 and the persons concerned should be compelled to give information of births and deaths to the Village Patil as is done in all Municipalities. (Mr. B.K. GAIKWAD) Resolution No. 8 :This Board wishes to bring to the notice of Government that there is innumerable villages in the Province of Bombay where the Mahars, Mangs and Vethiyas are compelled to render Government services without any remuneration. This Board, therefore, strongly recommends to Government that no services should be demanded from the Inferior Village Servants without giving them proper and adequate remuneration. 

333REPRESENTATION..........MANGS ETC. APPENDIX III Inferior Village Servants Duties of GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY REVENUE DEPARTMENT Resolution No. 7420/33 Bombay Castle, 13th September 1938. Government Memorandum, No. 7420-F/33, dated the 27th N. D January 1938 to the Commissioner, C. D S. D Letter From the Commissioner, N.D., No. W. T. N. 1062, dated the 25th February 1938. Letter From the Commissioner, CD., No. W. T. N. 2/27, dated the 22nd March 1938. Letter From the Commissioner, S.D., No. W. T. N. 860, dated the 26th April 1938. RESOLUTION :–Requests have frequently been made to Government to have the duties of Inferior Village Servants useful to Government defined so that they may know exactly what is required of them and not be made to render personal services to Government officers. Orders have been issued in paragraph 5 of Government Circular Memorandum, Political and Reforms Department, No. 1581/34, dated 25th August 1937, that no personal service should be accepted by Government servants without payment. The statement attached hereto describes the duties of the different classes of Inferior Village Servants. 2. The Oriental Translator to Government should be requested to translate the Statement into Gujarati, Marathi, Kanare and Urdu and to furnish the translations to the Manager, Government Central Press, for printing. The Manager should supply-printed copies of the translations to the Collectors in accordance with their requirements, which should be communicated direct

334 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES to him within one month of the date of this resolution. Copies of the printed translations should be supplied to every Talati and Patil. A copy should also be placed prominently in every village chavdi. In villages where there are no chavdis the copies should be displayed in some other public place. 3. The cost of printing the translations should be debited, for the purpose of press proforma account, to the head “25 General Administration.” By order of the Governer of Bombay. M. J. Desai, Deputy Secretary to Government. Accompaniment to Government Resolution, Revenue Department, No. 7420/33, dated 13th September 1938 STATEMENT SHOWING LISTS OF THE DUTIES OF DIFFERENT CLASSES OF INFERIOR VILLAGE SERVANTS Duties of Mahars, Dheds, Vethias, Bhangis and Madhavis (1) To carry Government remittances to the Sub-treasury. (2) To call the villagers at the chavdi to pay Government dues. (3) To carry the village daftar to and from the taluka kacheri. (4) To keep a watch on government money and office records at the village and on property attached for recovery of Government dues. (5) To take Government tapal to and from the taluka office and to take Government post officers on tour, where there are facilities for transport. (6) To accompany village officers and touring officers at the time of crop and boundary mark inspection, and to show roads to officers and other travellers. (7) To take news of births and deaths to village officers. (8) To carry distrained moveable property to the village chavdi.

335REPRESENTATION..........MANGS ETC. (9) To summon persons on whom notices, etc., are to be served and assist the Police Patil in serving summonses issued by Magistrates, Police, etc. (10) To carry chains and cross-staff, plane table and other instruments of the measurers to the field for Government work. (11) To accompany the Police Patil and Police at the time of the night round where there are no jaglyas appointed to do the work. (12) To publish Government orders in the village by beat of drums. (13) To take impounded cattle to the kacheri for auction when necessary. (14) To assist the vaccinator in collecting children for vaccination. (15) To help in the disposal of unclaimed dead bodies found in a village and to help the police in the removal of dead bodies for post-mortem examination wherever called upon by the police to do so. (16) To help the Police Patil in case of accidental deaths and fires and outbreaks of epdemics and epixootics. (17) To report movements of members of the criminal tribes and criminals and to assist the police in investigation of and prevention of the commission of crimes, (18) To keep guard over prisoners in the Police Patil’s custody. (19) To set up camp offices in the village. Duties of Ramoshis or Ravanias and Vartanias (1) To be present at the chavdi at the time of the collection of the land revenue. (2) To accompany Mahars or Dheds carrying remittance to the taluka headquarters. (3) To render assistance to Government officers on duty in the village for Government work. (4) To watch property attached for recovery of Government dues.