Vol. 17, Part III · pages 376–380

347NEWSPAPER IN................GOVERNMENT In course of his speech, Dr. Ambedkar referred to the future of the Indian National Congress and stated that after Mahatma Gandhi’s death it would be blown to pieces. Because, they could not conceive that a couple of hundreds of landlords and capitalists and a few misguided labour leaders could make a party. So far as fighting the British was concerned they could all unite but when the British would be going, when the vacuum would be created, when they would be seated in gaddi and would re-examine their social, and economic situation, would the landlords and peasants and capitalists and workers agree to live with each other in the Congress ? The Congress would be blown to pieces the moment Swaraj was attained, But affirmed he, the Scheduled Castes party would live for ever, it was an eternal party and they lived on certain fundamental principles. It was utter nonsense to say that they were fighting for loaves and fishes, they were fighting for the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity which were to abide in this country. Their principles transcended the limited cause which they had in view, namely the cause of the Scheduled Castes. Theirs was the principle that would regenerate not only India but the world as well. “Personally I do not think” said he,” there is any work in India which can be said to be nobler than the elevation of Scheduled Castes. I have many many friends in the Congress, who although dislike my politics, like me. They tell me that if I serve the wider cause of the country from within the Congress, I might one day become President of the Congress; Those appeals never allured me. I have always felt that as I have been born among these classes, it is my duty that I should do something for them first. I have also felt and quite convincingly I think, that if I or others who have the capacity to take up the cause of the Scheduled Castes leave the cause for other service and for other cause, no others will come to take up this cause and it will remain in the same rotten condition in which it has remained for the last two thousand years. But, that is only a limited view. I have struck to this cause as I regard it as a noble cause. What is the cause of the Hindus ? What is the cause of the Congress ? What is the talk of national freedom ? So far as

348 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES the cause of Hindus is concerned it is the cause of the parasitic class, which has been living upon the blood, money and work of the toiling millions of this country. Would anybody, asked Dr. Ambedkar, who has understood political and moral philosophy and has come to believe that the salvation of world cannot be had unless the economic and social organisation of the world in every society is based upon liberty, equality and fraternity, can ever consent to give up the cause of Scheduled Castes, but serve the cause of Hindus ? Then, take the cause of freedom of the country, proceeded Dr. Ambedkar. There is a world of difference between freedom by the powerful to oppress the weak and freedom of the weak to have an opportunity to grow fully to manhood. I would like to ask our Hindu patriots, who talk about this nonsense of freedom, etc., what use are they going to make of this freedom ? If the social freedom remains what it is, if the mentality is going to remain what it is, if the freedom that they will get from the Britishers is going to be used for suppressing the oppressed and suppressed classes, why should any one fight for it, I do not understand. If, on the other hand, you examine our cause, the principle we fight for, you will see it far transcends the limited class we have in view.” “A newspaper in a modern democratic system is the fundamental basis of good government. It is the one means of educating people. Therefore, we in India belonging to the Scheduled Castes whose misfortunes are the worst, for which there is no comparison and for which we are also anxious to get rid of, can never succeed unless the 8 crores of Untouchables, are politically educated.”— Continuing he said : “If this paper can devote some part of its space for reporting the conduct of our M. L. A.’s in the various legislature telling the people, why they have done this and why they have not done that, I have no hesitation in my mind that there will be a great reform in the conduct of our M. L. A.’s and the present chaos, which is enough to bring disgrace to our community, will stop. I, therefore, look upon this paper as a great instrument for purifying those who have gone wrong in their political life.”

349NEWSPAPER IN................GOVERNMENT Dr. Ambedkar then referred to a Marathi paper that did his electioning campaign in 1937 and he advised the newspaper not only to educate their voters but also to see that men who were elected by the voters, stood by the voters and functioned their duties properly and did not ‘misbehave.’ While presiding over the ceremony amidst a large gathering of Scheduled Castes leaders and workers, he said that, the occasion provided for him an opportunity to unburden his soul fully, because it was such an occasion which he had the best desire to attend. While wishing the successful advance of ‘People’s Herald’ to the cause of Scheduled Castes people of India and speaking of the great role this paper is destined to play in the service of their people, he said that the importance of a political organ of this nature can never be underrated. He revealed on this occasion that perhaps it was not so much known that he himself edited a weekly organ at Bombay for a continuous period of more than 16 years. The tremendous influence that paper created was seen in the next elections to the Assembly from Bombay proper wherein in a general constituency he was elected with votes from all communities and defeated the rival Congress candidate with a large majority of votes. The political influence that paper created went much towards his success. So, he wished a speedy success of ‘People’s Herald’ and hoped that every member of the Scheduled Castes would make this paper as his own. Congratulating the editor of the newspaper, Mr. P. C. De for his taking up this responsible task of serving the cause of the Scheduled Castes, Dr. Ambedkar said that he had noticed that many people in the country looked upon the work of the alleviation of the Scheduled Castes as nothing but ‘Scavenging’ and a ‘dirty’ piece of work.

350 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Criticising the Hindu Mahasabha, Dr. Ambedkar said that, he had no hesitation in saying that their cause was the cause of a ‘parasitic’ which had been living upon the laboured money and work of the toiling millions of this country. The salvation of the world could not be had unless the economic, and the social organisation of the world and of other societies were based upon the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. 1 zz 1 : People’s Herald, dated 10th January 1945.

100 SCHEDULED CASTES MUST ORGANISE “The need for the members of the Scheduled Castes to organise themselves and stand united under the banner of the All-India Scheduled Castes’ Federation for attaining social, economic, and political equality with the other major communities in the country was stressed by the Hon. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Labour Member, Government of India, when he addressed a mass meeting recently at Bombay.* Dr. Ambedkar reviewed the work he had done for the betterment of the community since he joined the Viceroy’s Executive Council. He was glad that Government had agreed to reserve a certain percentage of posts for the members of the Scheduled Castes. He was also able to secure two more seats in the Central Legislature to represent the interests of the community. Government had also agreed to make an annual grant of Rs. 3 lakhs to enable students of the community to prosecute their studies abroad. There remained much more to be done to lift the community from the present status but it all depended on how far the community stood united in its demands. The Labour Member told the audience that his prime object in accepting the Executive Councillorship was to do as much good to the community as was possible. As a matter of fact, at his very first interview with the Viceroy, he presented a memorandum setting forth some of the grievances and demands of the community. He was glad that most of the demands had been agreed to, and in fact, in certain respects he could say that the Scheduled Castes had attained equality with the Muslim Community.” l zz * The date of address is not mentioned----Editor. 1 : People’s Herald, dated 7th April. 1945.