Vol. 17, Part II · pages 436–440

411DEPRESSED CLASSES INSTITUTE under one roof. Its offices are scattered and are maintained in the private apartments of members in charge of the various activities. Housing the Institute in rented rooms has its own difficulties. The inability of the Institute to bear the expense is, no doubt, one of them. The difficulty of getting accommodation in flats on account of Untouchability and the liability of being asked to vacate at any moment on account of protest made by orthodox tenants are factors which often come in the way of the Institute getting decent accommodation for housing itself. Under the system of scattered offices co-operation and co-ordination of the various activities of the Institute have been difficult and the work of the Institute has been there by rendered inefficient. The third need of the Institute is to have whole time workers to carry on its activities. At present the Institute has only part-time workers who have undertaken to devote their spare time to carry on this work of social uplift. To them the work is largely labour of love. This is due to the fact that the Institute is unable to maintain a body of workers on full pay. This is the greatest drawback in the organization of the Institute and the relief value of the work of the Institute to the suffering among the Depressed Classes who stand in need of it is considerably diminished on account of the inevitable discontinuity and laxity arising from the fact that the workers are only spare-time workers. The only way of removing the drawback is the engagement of a body of regularly paid workers who will devote the whole of their time to social work. Wanted £ 40,000 These three principle needs of the Institute for (1) Press Fund (2) Building Fund, and (3) Maintenance Fund are estimated to require a capital sum of £40,000. As is well known, much larger amounts have been subscribed in support of causes less urgent and perhaps less humane than that of Depressed Classes of India. The Institute, therefore, hopes that with the support of the philanthropic public, it will not be impossible to collect this amount. Like most other causes of humanity it is undoubtedly one which seeks to bring hope and light to a people who are stagnant and destitute and who arc struggling against the forces of darkness. But there is something in the cause of the Depressed Classes which gives it a pathos all its own. It is not the cause of humanity which is sung by reason of misuse of opportunities. It is the cause of humanity

412 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES which has been held down by the opponents in all stubbornness to a state of degradation and whose efforts to rise have been ruthlessly frustrated all along by orthodex Hinduism. This appeal in the interests of the Depressed Classes is not merely to Hindus or to Indians. It is made to all members of the British Empire whose prime liablility the Depressed Classes are. It is also an appeal to Europeans and to Americans as well. It is an appeal to all who look upon it as their duty to befriend and advance the cause of fallen, or what may be more appropriately called, “felled” humanity, and the Institute trust that this appeal will not go in vain. The sum needed is considerable. But it is not beyond the capacity of many if they joined to share the burden. Last year this appeal succeeded in eliciting, within a very short time, the following donations : 1. H. H. Sir Tukojirao Holkar ex-Maharaja of Indore £ 360 2. H. H. the Nawab of Bhopal ... ... £ 200 3. H. H. the Aga khan ... ... £ 175 4. H. H. the Maharaja of Baroda ... ... £ 150 5. H. H. the Maharaja of Bikaner ... ... £ 100 6. H. H. the Maharaja of Kashmir ... ... £ 100 7. H. H. the Maharaja of Patiala ... ... £ 100 8. Sir Cowasji Jehangir ... ... £ 75 9. Maharajadhiraj of Darbhanga ... ... £ 50 10. The Chief of Sangli ... ... £ 25 All these donations are gratefully acknowledged and it is hoped that this generous response will be followed up by another more generous than the last. B. R. AMBEDKAR, President, Depressed Classes Institute. Permanent Address DAMODAR HALL, PAREL, BOMBAY 12, November 1931. INDIA. zz *Reprinted from a leaflet printed at the Weardale Press, Ltd., 26, gordon Street, London, W.C.I, and Bedford.

3 INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, having discussed with his colleagues, formed a Political Party, called Independent Labour Party. Aim behind forming the party was to concentrate and solve the problems and grievences of the landless, poor tenents, agriculturists and workers. On this background Dr. Ambedkar was interviewed by the Times of India’ wherein the explained the aims and objects of the party. Following are the salient features of the Independent Labour Party—Editors. INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY Its formation And Its Aims (Reprinted from the Times of India 15th August, 1936) Independent Labour Party Publications No. 1

414 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES A new political party has been organised in Bombay for the purpose of contesting the elections in the Bombay Presidency under the new Constitution to both Chambers of the Legislature. It is known as the ‘‘Independent Labour Party” and has been formed by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the Depressed Classes leader. It appears that originally Dr. Ambedkar’s idea was to organise a party exclusively of the Depressed Classes. But its programme was specifically worded in terms of the needs of these Classes. But at the desire of his friends from other classes, he has consented to give a general name to the party and has worded the programme in more general terms. The Party is open to any one who wishes to stand for election on the Party ticket and work in the Legislature in accordance with the programme formulated for the purpose. BROAD PROGRAMME In an interview with a representative of the Times of India Dr. Ambedkar declared that having regard to the fact that the present was no time for the parties communally organised, he had in agreement with the wishes of his friends “broadened the name and also the programme of the Party so as to permit political co-operation between the other classes and the Depressed Classes.” The nucleus of the Party would still be the fifteen members of the Depressed Classes. But members of the other classes were free to join the party. Dr. Ambedkar added that the Depressed Classes possessed large voting strength in constituencies in which no seat was reserved for them, and it would be possible for them to place that voting strength at the disposal of any candidate, who cared to become a member of the Party. He made it clear that the Party membership was open to persons of all creeds and communities, although the Depressed Classes votes could by reason of the law be made available to persons belonging to such communities and creeds as were included in the general electorate. Already some persons from other classes had expressed their willingness to join the Party, and other who cared to take advantage of that opportunity might corresponds with the Secretary of the Party at the office, of the Party.

415INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY Questioned what cohesion the Independent Labour Party would have, Dr. Ambedkar pointed out that the Party was not going to be a miscellaneous collection of members of the Legislature, who after getting elected, each on his own, would befriend one another in the Lagislature, and agree to vote together. The party would have its roots in the electorate, and its members would have fought the election as such, would have pledged to the electorate to uphold a common and clearly definded programme, and to be bound by the rules of discipline framed by the Party. Open to All Asked what prompted him to select that particular name for the Party, Dr. Ambedkar explained that the Party would be independent of every other political organisation, although it would be ready to co-operate with any other political party where co-operation was possible. The Party was a labour organisation in the sense that its programme was mainly to advance the welfare of the labouring classes. The Party believes in having correct ideology suited to the section of the people whose interests it regards as paramount. The word ‘Labodur’ is used instead of the words ‘Depressed Classes’, because labour includes the Depressed Classes as well. AIMS OF PARTY Working The Constitution Despite Defects Explaining the programme of the Party, Dr. Ambedkar said that it had been formulated after mature consideration and in consultation with all those who were interested in it, so far as the new Constitution was concerned. “The Party recognises that the new constitution is full of defects and falls much short of full responsible Government. The Party objects to serveral features of the Provincial Constituion, particularly the institution of the second Chamber. All the same, the party believes in working the Constitution. But while prepared to work the Constitution, the party will strive to see that the Special Emergency and Reserved Powers vested in the Governor, are not exercised in a manner which altogether nullifies the system of responsible Governments.”