They have the simple faith of the simple folk whose because they have espoused, and they will not be deterred by the superior smile of the eminent personages surrounding them, from insisting on the literal application of certain principles which they have been taught to hold as inviolable”. A little before this the London representative of the Free Press Journal, a leading nationalist daily in Bombay, in his reply to Miss Mayo had eulogised the services which Dr. Ambedkar had rendered at the first session of the Round Table Conference, and said that Dr. Ambedkar was a fearless, independent and patriotic- minded leader whose fearlessness was unbearable to both Hindus and Muslims and that his opening speech at the first session of the Round Table Conference was the best speech in the whole proceedings of the Conference.
It has not been decided as yet whether Gandhi will attend the Round Table Conference. Naturally all eyes were focussed on Manibusan at the Malabar Hill in Bombay, owing to the mysterious suspense created by Gandhi’s stagecraft and statecraft. In the bustle and hurry Gandhi wanted to sound Ambedkar as to his demands. So, Gandhi wrote to Ambedkar on August 6, 1931, informing him that he would come to see the latter at eight o’clock that night if Dr. Ambedkar could spare the time. Gandhi added that he would gladly come over to Dr. Ambedkar’s residence, if it was inconvenient for Dr. Ambedkar to come to him.
Accordingly, the meeting between Ambedkar and Gandhi was held on August 14, 1931, at Manibhuvan, at two in the afternoon.
“SEGREGATING UNTOUCHABLES
Dr. Ambedkar, the Depressed Classes leader, who saw Mr. Gandhi before he sailed by the Mooltan to take part in the Round Table Conference, is said to have told the Mahatma a few home-truths about insincere attitude of the Congress towards the grievances of Untouchables. What can the poor Mahatma do when the whole country simply believes in Untouchability?” (Times of India, Aug.18, 1931).
The next day was Saturday, August 15, 1931. Aimost all the Round Table Conference delegates were to sail for London by the S.S. Mooltan. The Ballard Pier at Bombay presented a picturesque appearance on the day. From princes to paupers, all sorts of people were present at the Pier. Friends, admirers, followers and devotees assembled to wish bon voyage to their Princes and heroes. One leader who received a great ovation as soon as he got out of the car was Dr. Ambedkar. Over two thousand volunteers had collected on the road outside and greeted him as he arrived at the Mole Station with shouts of “Dr. Ambedkar ki jai* and “Long live Dr. Ambedkar”.
“On boardship Dr. Ambedkar came across Sir Prabhashankar Pattani. who asked him about the outcome of the latter’s interview with Gandhi. Sir Prabhashankar told Dr. Ambedkar that as he had left the hall in the middle of the interview, he was not in the know of its outcome or end. Dr. Ambedkar, who got the clue from the strange note in the voice of the Knight, asked him why he had left the hall in the middle. The Knight said bitingly that according to Hindu scriptures a gentleman should quit the place where a detractor reviled a good man, if the hearer could not cut out the tongue of the detractor on the spot. Dr. Ambedkar was more tickled by the growing insensible temper of the Knight and, without any sign of irritation on his face, asked him what punishment was prescribed by Pattani’s Hindu scriptures for a rank hypocrite and an abject flatterer. At this crack of the whip Pattani got wild and asked Dr. Ambedkar what he meant by such a brutal attack. Dr. Ambedkar replied that he meant what the Knight understood and added that Gandhi should be freed from the grip of abject flatterers like him. The Police Commissioner, Wilson, intervened, and a further scene was averted. The Knight must have left a wiser man. Indeed, the world would be no fess benefited, if all-its great men turn introspective and get themselves rid of the flattering functions of men surrounding them.
Sarojini Naidu and Malaviya, who were to go by the same steamer, cancelled their passages, as Gandhi had not yet decided about his departure. In the interview which Dr. Ambedkar gave on the steamer he referred to Gandhi’s refusal to go to the Round Table conference and said it was the height of folly to place the interests of Bardoli above those of India, “to bother about petty grievances and to be unmindful of bigger problem the settlement of which will enable him to exercise “control over those very officers is a thing which | cannot understand”.
