Vol. 17, Part II · pages 546–550

521GANDHI DIS-FRANCHISED . . . . . . . . . POONA PACT “I, therefore, say I trust that when the new constitution is made full consideration will be given to the position of the Scheduled Classes themselves. “It is sometimes said that Britain has not done enough for them. It is well known that Queen Victoria’s original proclamation about our not interferring too much with the religion, and habits of the people has prevented the British from doing as much as they might desire. “But in later years, by a variety of devices, we have attempted to improve these Scheduled Classes and mitigate the horrors of Untouchability. “The Franchise Committee recommended an electorate which would have given the Schedule Classes an opportunity of looking after their own affairs. Poona Pact “Unfortunately the decisions of the Franchise Committee were abrogated by the Poona Pact, produced by one of Mr. Gandhi’s longest fasts. “I cannot now influence the decision of the Constitution making body, but it is quite clear that under the Poona Pact the Scheduled Castes did not get a chance of electing their ultimate representatives who would really represent their point of view. “I hope that in part, or parts of India it may be possible to find an electoral system which will be more suitable for them.” After referring to other minorities, Mr. Butler said : “We trust that in the future India, the minorities, and the Europeans who stay there will find free, and fair opportunity, and happiness under the regime. “But there are many other sections of opinion— minorities among the Muslims, cultivators who do not mix in the political life, and have not shouted or taken part in politics, but whose views are sometimes not quite the same as those who steal the thunder and appear before the footlights.

522 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES SOLICITUDE FOR PEOPLE “At the inauguration of the Round Table Conference in the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords on November 12, 1933 the King’s speech contained this passage: “I have in mind the just claims of majorities and minorities, of men and women, of town dwellers and tillers of the soil, of landlords and tenants, of the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor, races, castes and creeds of which the body politics is composed. For these things I care deeply.” “For these people and these things,” Mr. Butler concluded, “we care deeply. They are passing out of our immediate care. We are moved on this occasion and we wish those well who are assuming the Government and responsibility for the welfare of the Indian people.” 1 zz 1: Jai Bheem, dated 23rd July 1947.

APPENDIX—VII UNDER-PRIVILIGED IN INDIA SOLD TO OPPRESSORS CABINET PLAN EXPOSED IN COMMONS DEBATE During his speech in the debate Mr. Churchill referred to the British Government’s statement after the recent London talks and said: “That, declaration appears to me to be the most important milestone in this long journey. “The British Government owed special protection to the Muslims numbering 90,000,000 who comprised the majority of the fighting elements of India, and the Untouchables of anything from 40,000,000 to 60,000,000. They had been out witted and outmanoeuvred on this question. The pretence was put forward that they were a small part of the vast Hindu community not entitled to be considered as a minority community in Indian life. “I must ask the Prime Minister to state the Government’s view and intentions on this particular point. Are Untouchables to be considered as an entity by themselves entitled to consideration given to entities or are they merely to be used to swell the numerical size of those whom they regard as their oppressors ?” CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY Turning to the character of the Constituent Assembly which, he said, was apparently to proceed to make a Republic for India and engage upon it at once. Mr. Churchill said, “They are dealing with the fortunes of all Indians, while a large part is not even to be represented.” Mr. William Cove (Labour) interjected : Is Mr. Churchill in favour of extending the franchise ?

524 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Mr. Churchill : “Yes, Certainly” Mr. Cove laughs “I have always been in favour of extending the franchise. I believe in the will of the people. But I do not believe in perversion of the will of the people—actively organised and engineered minorities who having seized upon power by force or fraud or chicanery go forward and use that power in the name of vast masses with whom they have long lost all effective connection. “But the Cabinet Mission’s proposal of May for the setting up of the Constituent Assembly was essentially a proposal that the main political parties of India should meet and through their representatives endeavour to work out the proposed constitution.” Mr. Churchill, continuing, said, “It is still pertinent to inquire if His majesty’s Government consider that their proposed conference of the Constituent Assembly has begun.” He added, “I feel bound to end on a positive conclusion although I will express it rather in terms of negation.” (Government laughter). “In all this confusion, uncertainty and gathering storm which those who have studied the Indian problem for long years might well have foreseen, there appear at the present time three choices—three proverbial choices—before the British Parliament. “The first is to proceed with ruthless logic to quit India regardless of what may happen there. The second is failing a measure of agreement not now in sight, an impartial administration appointed by Parliament should be set up to maintain the fundamental guarantees of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to the hundreds of millions of humble folk who now stand in jeopardy, bewilderment and fear. The third course is to let the Indian communities go their separate ways as they desire in or out of the British Commonwealth, whatever happens.”

525UNDER-PRIVILIGED . . . . . . . . . OPPRESSORS CASTE HINDU DOMINATION “One thing however there is that we must not do whatever happens: we must not allow British troops or British Officers in the Indian Army to become agencies and instruments of enforcing Caste Hindu domination upon 90,000,000 Muslims and 60,000,000 Untouchables, nor must the prestige or authority of the British power in India even in its sunset be used in partnership on either side of these profound and awful cleavages. “For such a course to be used to enforce religious and party victory upon minorities of scores of millions would seem to combine the disadvantages of all the policies and lead us ever deeper in tragedy without giving us relief from our burdens, or liberation, however sadly purchased from moral and factual responsibility. “It is because we feel that these issues should be placed bluntly and plainly before the British and the Indian peoples even amid their present distresses and perplexities that we thought it our bounden duty to ask for this debate.” (Loud Opposition cheers). MR. BUTLER EXPLAINS TORY STAND Winding up for the opposition, Mr. R. A. Butler, former Under-Secretary of State for India, said that the opportunities he had of meeting Indian Statesmen convinced him that in the work he had done with them there were no statesmen of higher quality in the world. “There is therefore no difference of opinion about the goal we are setting before us. We (the opposition) have always said in the past that self-government for India can be achieved only under a constitution or constitutions framed by Indians to which the main elements in India’s national life are consenting parties. That has been our first stand. Our second stand has been that we can only transfer our ultimate control over India to a Government or Governments capable of exercising it. We cannot hand over India to anarchy or to civi1 war. The Government’s last statement on the Indian situation gives evidence of acceptance of the first of these obligations.