Vol. 17, Part I · pages 506–510

481REACTIONS ON.....................CONVERSION V Mahatma Gandhi’s Views Mahatma Gandhi’s letter to Mr. Rajah dated 26th July 1936:— ‘I have no difficulty about giving general endorsement to your letter to Dr. Moonje. I do not at all understand Dr. Moonje’s or Dr. Ambedkar’s positition. For me removal of Untouchability stands on a footing all its own. It is to me a deeply religious question. The very existence of our religion depends on its voluntary removal by Savarna Hindu in the spirit of repentence. It can never be a question of barter to me. And I am glad you take nearly the same position that I do’ (The Annual Register, Vol. II, July—December 1936, page 276-279).” 1 VI Telegram from Pandit—M. M. Malaviya, dated 30th July 1936 to Rao Bahadur M. C. Rajah:— “Thanks for the copy of your letter to Dr. Moonje. I agree with you.”—A. P. 2 VII The Munje—Rajah Pact 3 Splitting Depressed Classes Sir, though Dr. Munje 4 and the Hindu Mahasabha have been unable to wipe out the blot of Untouchability from Hinduism and thus to make the Hindu Organisation strong and compact, they have succeeded in trapping a leader of the Depressed Classes with a view to causing a split in the ranks of those classes. The Munje-Rajah Pact is being boosted by the Congress and Mahasabha organs, and it is being represented to the gullible public that the pact is being 1 Khairmode, Vol. 6, Pp. 191—193. 2 The Bombay Chronicle—8th August 1936. 3. The Munje-Rajah Pact —Rao Bahadur M. C. Rajah, a Depressed Classes leader from Madras and Dr. B. S. Munje, President of Hindu Mahasabha had discussions on the basis of reserved seats and Joint Electorates in Delhi. They made a pact which is known as The MoonjeRajah Pact. 4 Dr. B. S. Munje —He was President of Hindu Mahasabha, Delegate, Indian Round Table Conference.

482 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES supported by the majority of the Depressed Class people. In fact. the Munje-Rajah Pact is being strongly denounced by all most all the accredited leaders and leading organisations of the Depressed Classes in the country. The Congress and Mahasabha organs have, however, made a conspiracy to suppress all news about the vehement opposition, the pact is evoking, It was Rao Bahadur M. C. Rajah, 1 who was strongly in favour of separate electorates when Dr. Ambedkar was advocating joint electorates and reserved seats, and it was through pressure from Mr. Rajah and the Depressed Class Organisation in the Madras Presidency, that Dr. Ambedkar had to set his personal views aside and to make a demand for separate representation at the Round Table Conference. He received support in his demand from Mr. Rajah, who in a speech only some weeks back gave his opinion that the salvation of the Depressed Classes lay only in Separate Electorates. His latest somersault was a surprise to all. He entered in to a Pact for joint electorates and reserved seats with the leader of Hindu Mahasabha without consulting the other leaders and the responsible organisations in the Depressed Classes in the different provinces. Nor, has he given any reason justifying his new policy. The fact Dr. Ambedkar was greeted with a rousing reception and was supported in his demand for separate representation by thousands of people recently at Madras itself, is sufficient to prove that Rao Bahadur Rajah lacks support even in his own Presidency. The evidence which is being given before the Franchise Committee also proves beyond dispute that an overwhelming majority of the Depressed Classes is in favour of Separate Electorates. The Bombay Congress and Mahasabha organs have given out that Mr. B. J. Deorukhkar has sent a memorandum to the Franchise Committee signed by over five thousand people belonging to the Depressed Classes in support of the Munje-Rajah Pact. It has, 1. Rao Bahadur M. C. Rajah—A Depressed Classes leader from Madras. President of All India Depressed Classes Association. Member of Madras Legislative Council. Member in the Central Assembly.

483REACTIONS ON.....................CONVERSION however, been discovered that, this is nothing but fiction. The fact is that a few set replies to the questionnaire issued by the Franchise Committee have been forwarded in the name of certain insignificant bodies, the numerical strength of which is quite negligible. Mr. Deorukhkar represent himself and at the most some people belonging to his sub-section of the Chambhar Community viz. the Dabholi Chambhars, who constitute but a small fraction of the so-called Untouchable community in Maharashtra. We challenge the Congress and Mahasabha people and their friends in the Depressed Classes to prove their majority in a public meeting especially held for the purpose. So long as they are not prepared to do this the claims of the Congress and Mahasabha organs should be treated with the contempt they deserve. Divakar Pagare (Mahar) K.G. Chandorkar (Chambhar) 1 zz 1 : Surwade, Vol. 1 Pp. 143—144. GPN—Y-1054—MSDR-BABPOB-8-2003—15,210-Books—PR-8*

DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR WRITINGS AND SPEECHES PUBLISHED VOLUMES Vol. 1 z Castes in India z Annihilation of Caste, Maharashtra as a Linguistic Province, Need for Checks and Balances z Thoughts on Linguistic States z Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah, Evidence before the Southborough Committee, Federation versus Freedom z Communal Deadlock and a Way to solve It z States and Minorities z Small Holdings in India, Mr. Russell and the Reconstruction of Society Vol. 2 z In the Bombay Legislature z With the Simon Commission z At the Round Table Conferences Vol. 3 z Philosophy of Hinduism z India and Pre-Requisites of Communism z Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Ancient India z Buddha or Karl Marx z Schemes of Books Vol. 4 z Riddles in Hinduism Vol. 5 z Untouchables or the Children of India’s Ghetto and other Essays on Untouchables and Untouchability Social—Political—Religious