Vol. 17, Part III · pages 416–420

387BECAUSE OF.................ITSELF Unfortunately many writers who have carried on researches into India’s past, including the great scholar Prof. Max Muller, have given currency to the motion that Indian law has not changed at all. This is in conformity with what the orthodox pundits maintain. But from such study as I have made I can say that it is a complete fallacy. There is no country in the world which has undergone so many revolutions as this country. This country has been in a conflict between ecclesiastical law and secular law long before the Europeans sought to challenge the authority of the Pope. Kautilya’s Arthshastra lays down foundation of secular law. In India unfortunately ecclesiastical law triumphed over secular law. Why did it happen ? In my opinion, it was one of the greatest disasters in this country. The unprogressive character of Hindu society was due to the notion that law cannot be changed.” zz

113 ORGANISE UNDER ONE LEADER, ONE PARTY, ONE PROGRAMME “Fifth Conference of united provinces of Scheduled Castes Federation was organised on 24th and 25th April 1948 at Lucknow. Last year, an agitation was launched by Scheduled Castes Federation at the same place to establish the political rights as well as equality of human beings. In this agitation more than 2000 Dalit men and women had participated. All these were arrested at Luknow and kept in the jail. It was a very big sacrifice done by the Untouchables of United Provinces. All these men and women had intense desire to see and listen to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar who was the emancipator of Dalits. The present lecture is the out come of these efforts. This Conference could be made successful due to effect of Shri Gayaprasad, General Secretary, Bal Govind, Kanhayyalal Sonkar, Buddhadas Choudary and Mevalal Sonkar. More than one lakh Dalits had assembled for this conference. General Secretary of All India Scheduled Castes Federation Shri P. N. Rajbhoj was also present at this Conference. Shri Gopichand Vippal President, United Provinces, Samta Sainik Dal, Shri Tilakchand Kuril President, United Provinces Scheduled Castes Federation were the main organizing pillers. This conference was important due to two specialities. (1) It was clear from the Conference that there is no end to miseries of Untouchables in the Congress ruled States. (2) Scheduled Castes Federation would never hesitate to do anything which is necessary for the progress of Untouchables. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar addressed the Conference on Sunday, 25th April 1948.” 1 He said, “Political power is the key to all social progress and the Scheduled Castes can achieve their salvation if they captured this power by organising themselves into a third Party and holding the balance of power between the rival political parties—Congress and Socialists. 1. Janata, dated 1st May 1948.

389ORGANISE.........................PROGRAMME The Scheduled Castes cannot capture political power by joining the Congress. It is a big organisation and if we enter the Congress we will be a mere drop in the ocean. Congressmen have great pride and we cannot raise ourselves by joining the organisation. We will only increase the strength of our enemies by joining the Congress. Congress is a burning house and we cannot be prosperous by entering in it. I shall not be surprised if it is ruined in a couple of years. Socialists have come out of the Congress. That will certainly weaken the Congress. We must organise ourselves into a third party so that in case the Socialists and the Congress do not command an absolute majority, they will come to our feet to beg for our votes and we can, then, hold the balance of power and dictate our own terms to them for giving our political support. I came to Lucknow 12 years ago as a member of the Lothian Committee. I am glad to see that there is more political consciousness among the Scheduled Castes now. We had Satyagraha in U. P.. I must congratulate you all for the sacrifices you have made for the Community. It shows that, if we are determined to attain our objectives, we shall attain it in spite of any obstacle. My joining the Congress Government has created a great amount of confusion among the Scheduled Castes and I want to clear that suspicion and doubts. The British did not honour their declarations and recognised Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs as the only Communities to whom power could be transferred. I am asked why after a fight for 25 years against the Congress I choose to remain silent at that crucial juncture. After all, it is not the best strategy to fight all the time. We have also to restore to other measures. The British left us in lurch and our Community was divided. There were many fifth columnists in our ranks. It was not in our interest to come into conflict with such a mighty organisation at that time.

390 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES We followed the policy of conciliation and have attained success to a great extent. If we did not get all what we wanted still we got a lot. We have received reservation in the legislatures and services and most of our demands have been accepted. The demand for Separate Electrorate has not been conceded but we should not be ashamed of it as other minorities have also failed in this respect. That is not the time to come to a conflict with the Congress and we should get as much as we can by conciliation and cooperation. I have joined the Central Government; but, have not become a member of the Congress and have no intention to do so. I was invited by the Congress to join the Central Government and I had joined it unconditionally. I shall come out any time. I think it is useless to stay there. Our condition is such that it is necessary that our men should be in the administrative machinery. There is no fear of just legislation, but even good laws may be badly administered and if the Government is composed of persons who are by tradition against the interests of the Scheduled Castes, then, there can be no hope for us. Begar Forced Labour has no sanction of the Law, but it is being enacted by the Zamindars and petitions of the Scheduled Castes have been ignored because the officers who receive these petitions were in many cases relatives of the oppressors. If some Scheduled Castes members had been in office, they would have given proper protection to their brethren. If I join the Congress, I will do so after declaring my intention. If it will be in the interest of the Scheduled Castes, I will advice you to do so. But until I openly ask you to join the Congress, do not join. The Backward Classes had suffered because of their aloofness. They must forge a united front in order to wrest political power from the higher classes. The system of adult franchise had brought political power to the masses and in my opinion if 1 1/2 crore Scheduled Castes and one crore Backward Classes people in the U. P. join hands against a common target they could return 50% of their

391ORGANISE.........................PROGRAMME members to the legislature and capture political power. I shall have no objection if the Backward Classes form a separate front against higher castes. It is deplorable that the Scheduled Castes and the Backward Classes are not conscious of their power with the result that higher castes were dominating the administration. You must orgainse yourself under one Leader, one Party and one Programme. You remove all caste distinctions and organise yourself under the aegis of the Federation.” Dr. Ambedkar’s statement A statement issued by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in order to clarify and amplify certain matters included in the Lucknow speech is as follows : “I have noticed a most distorted version of my speech delivered at the Conference of the Scheduled Castes Federation held at Lucknow on April 25 and I have also been pained to read in a local daily that I had made some ungracious remarks about my colleagues. I feel it necessary to clear the cloud and to state in outline what I said at Lucknow. My speech was extempore, but I give below the points I made in my speech. They were all intended to meet the criticism that has been levelled against me by some of my own followers on various counts. (1) Why I am silent ever since the departure of the Cabinet Mission ? (2) Why I joined the Congress Government ? (3) What I propose to do in future ? In reply to (I) I said : The Scheduled Castes Federation demanded political safeguards—the most important of which was separate electorates. If the results of the primary elections were taken as the test, there was no doubt that the whole of the Scheduled Castes were behind this demand. Notwithstanding this, our demand was turned down by the Cabinet Mission. This was because of two reasons : (i) We were a weaker party as compared with the Muslims and the Sikhs and (ii) We were divided in our ranks which contained many fifth columnists.