Vol. 2 · pages 296–300

APPENDIX II QUESTIONS ASKED BY Dr. B. R. AMBEDKAR AND REPLIES GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT Government Service : Selection Board Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (a) whether there is any selection board constituted for the purpose of selecting candidates applying for the vacancies in the Provincial and Subordinate Services of the Government of Bombay ; (b) if so, the names of the members who constitute that Board ? The Honourable Sir Chunilal Mehta : No single Board exists for selecting candidates for the Provincial and Subordinate Services of the Government of Bombay. For certain of the Provincial Services selection committees have been constituted. Appointments to the Subordinate Services are made by the heads of offices under powers delegated to them or by the Local Government. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will the Honourable Member state whether he can give the names of the members of the Committees constituted for the Provincial Services ? He says that for certain of the Provincial Services selection committees have been formed. The Honourable Sir Chunilal Mehta : I am afraid I cannot carry the names of the members in my head. If the honourable member gives notice, I shall supply the names. But I think there is not a fixed list of members of these committees ; they change, I believe, every year or from time lo time. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 325, dated 28th February 1927) Acquisition and Improvement of Land for Village Sites Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I rise to a point of information. I do not exactly understand the object for which this amount is provided in the present budget. I should like to know from the Honourable Member in-charge whether it is expended for the purposes of establishing new settlements of villagers who are dissatisfied with their own village sites, or whether the amount is spent for providing amenities to the villagers, or for what purpose. There is certainly no information given either in the

278 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Blue Book or the White Book to enable new members like myself understand the exact purpose of this amount. I, therefore, hope that some enlightenment will be thrown on this subject. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 421, dated 1st March 1927) Superintendents of Land Records Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I do not think that much argument need be wasted on this motion. The motion is based upon the ground that these superintendents who are provided in the budget at a cost of Rs. 35,800 do work which ordinarily in the course of things can be done and discharged by the deputy collectors. The only answer to this argument is that the deputy collectors are not in a position to do this work. The reply given by the honourable member, the Settlement Commissioner, does not seem to me to touch on that aspect of the question. Nobody here in this House disputes that the work done by them is useful work necessary in the interest of society, but, Sir, the point and the important point is whether such work cannot be done by deputy collectors. If the reply to that is in the affirmative, then Government has no case at all, and I should like Government to clear that point in order to enable new members like me to decide one way or the other. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 453, dated 3rd March 1927) Deputy Collectorship : Application of Mr. M. K. Jadhav Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (i) Whether Mr. M. K. Jadhav, B.A. (Hons.), Bombay, applied for one of the three posts of Deputy Collector recently filled up by the Revenue Department of the Government of Bombay ? (ii) Whether they were aware that he belonged to the depressed classes ? (iii) The reasons why his application was rejected ? Honourable Mr. J. L. Rieu : (i) Yes. (ii) Yes. (iii) Government regret that they are not prepared to state the reasons why Mr. Jadhav or any other individual candidate was not selected. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Did Government apply the rule of 50 per cent. reserved posts for depressed classes in Government service when filling up the appointments ? The Honourable Mr. J. L. Rieu : The rule does not apply at all. It applies to clerical staff only. Mr. W. S. Mukadam : Will Government be pleased to give us the names of the candidates selected ? The Honourable Mr. J. L. Rieu : The honourable member will find it from records. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Is the exclusion of Mr. Jadhav consistent with

279QUESTIONS BY DR. AMBEDKAR the policy of Government of encouraging the depressed classes ? The Honourable Mr. J. L. Rieu : It is not inconsistent with it. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 545, dated 5th March 1927) Admission of Depressed Classes to Public Places Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state what steps they have taken to carry into effect Mr. Bole’s resolution to throw open to the depressed classes all public places in this presidency ? The Honourable Sir Ghulam Hussain : Attention is invited to the Press Note No. P-117, dated the 29th September 1923 (copy below for ready reference) issued by the Director of Information. Press Note No. P-117, dated the 29th September 1923 (With the Compliments of the Director of Information, Bombay) THE UNTOUCHABLE CLASSES GOVERNMENT AND COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS At the last session of the Bombay Legislative Council, on the motion of Mr. S. K. Bole, a resolution was passed recommending that “the untouchable classes be allowed to use all public watering places, wells and dharamshalas which are built and maintained out of public funds or are administered by bodies appointed by Government or erected by Statutes as well as public schools, courts, offices and dispensaries.” In pursuance of this resolution Government have directed their officers to give effect to it as far as it relates to the public places and institutions belonging to and maintained by Government. The Collectors have been requested to advise the local public bodies to consider the desirability of accepting the recommendation made in the resolution. The Bombay and Karachi Port Trusts, the Bombay City Improvement Trust and the Municipal Corporation have also been requested to give effect to the resolution with regard to the places under their control. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Is the honourable member aware that the depressed classes in several places are prevented from taking advantage of the public places provided by the public bodies, by the ordinary villagers in the villages ? The Honourable Sir Ghulam Hussain : Not to my knowledge. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 546, dated 5th March 1927) Assistant Educational Inspector for Depressed Classes Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (i) Why Mr. G. G. Kamble was reduced from his post of Extra Assistant Educational Inspector for the Depressed Classes ? (ii) Whether the said post has been abolished ? (iii) If so, why ?

280 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dewan Bahadur Harilal D. Desai : (i) Mr. Kamble was reverted because he failed to justify his existence, there being no real improvement in the schools placed under his charge. (ii) Yes. (iii) The post was abolished because the control of primary schools having been transferred to the local authorities under the Bombay Primary Education Act, 1923, there was no longer any necessity for Government to continue to maintain it. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Does not Government think it necessary that the benefit of a special assistant educational inspector should be extended to the depressed classes schools ? The Honourable Dewan Bahadur Harilal D. Desai : In the first instance, Government created the special post. The schools have now been transferred to the local bodies, and if Government find it necessary to make such an appointment, they will consider the matter. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 604, dated 7th March 1927) Judgments of Mr. Fleming, City Magistrate Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (a) whether their attention has been drawn to the judgments delivered by Mr. Fleming, City Magistrate, Poona, in the two recent criminal cases (i) Emperor v. Baburao Fule and (ii) Emperor v. Javalkar and others in both of which the accused were charged under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code ; (b) whether they are aware that Mr. Fleming has delivered contradictory judgments on a common point of law involved in both the cases, viz., whether the complainant is an aggrieved person within the meaning of section 198 of the Criminal Procedure Code ; (c) whether they have called for an explanation from Mr. Fleming as to why he delivered such contradictory judgments ; (d) whether they propose to take any steps against Mr. Fleming in this connection ? The Honourable Mr. J. E. B. Hotson : (a) to (d) The remedies provided by the law are open to any person who considers himself aggrieved by a magistrate’s judgment. Government could not without gross impropriety express an opinion in this House on the points to which this question refers. Mr. S. K. Bole : The answer is given only to ( b) and not to (a), (c) or ( d). The Honourable Mr. J. E. B. Hotson : The answer is to all four parts of the question. Mr. S. K. Bole : The question in ( a) is “whether their attention is drawn to the judgments delivered by Mr. Fleming” but there is no answer to that.

281QUESTIONS BY DR. AMBEDKAR The Honourable Mr. J. E. B. Hotson : I think, it is implied. The attention of Government has been drawn to them. Mr. S. K. Bole : Again, in ( b) the question is “whether they are aware that Mr. Fleming has delivered contradictory judgments” but there is no answer to that. The Honourable Mr. J. E. B. Hotson : Yes, the reply is there, “Government could not without gross impropriety express an opinion in this House” etc. Mr. S. K. Bole : What is asked is whether they are aware. The Honourable the President : The word “contradictory” implies and asks for opinion, and therefore that reply. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 1147, dated 16th March 1927) Assault by Mulki Patil on a Mahar (Chikhardi) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (a) whether it is a fact that the Mulki Patil of the village Chikhardi in the Sholapur District committed an assault on Arjuna Lala Mahar for refusing to do his private work and fractured his skull ; (b) whether it is a fact that Arjuna is now being treated for his injury at the Civil Hospital, Barsi ; (c) if so, what steps they have taken against the Patil ? The Honourable Mr. J. L. Rieu : The information has been called for. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 1147, dated 16th March 1927) Harassment of Mahars (Sholapur) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (a) whether it is a fact that the Gaonkaris of the villages of (i) Ralerass, (ii) Pangaon, (iii) Pangri, (iv) Uple Dumala, (v) Ambegaon and (vi) Surdi in the District of Sholapur have been acting in conspiracy to stop the ryots and shop-keepers of their respective villages from having any dealings with the Mahars of their villages and have assaulted the Mahars of their villages and have in some cases outraged the modesty of the Mahar women and have gone to the length of throwing filth in the water-courses used by the Mahars because the Mahars in these villages have in their efforts at self-improvement given up the carrying of the carcasses of dead animals ; (b) what steps they propose to take to protect the Mahars from such tyranny. The Honourable Mr. J. E. B. Hotson : The information is being obtained. (B.L.C. Debates, Vol. XIX, p. 1298, dated 17th March 1927) Accident on the Ulhas River Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Will Government be pleased to state— (a) whether their attention has been drawn to the leading article published in the Pratiyogi, dated the 13th February 1926, and the extracts of statements