Narrator: But there was a new and formidable face at the Round Table Conference. Dr. Ambedkar, born an Untouchable, had pulled himself up by his own gifts and character, and didn’t want any caste Hindu to do penance for him.
B.R. Ambedkar: Give us a separate electorate, you see.
Narrator: Dr. Ambedkar was direct and implacable. Even afterwards he never changed towards Gandhi.
B.R. Ambedkar: All this talk about untouchability was just for the purpose of making the Untouchables drawn into the Congress, that was one thing, and secondly, you see, he wanted the Untouchables should not oppose his movement of swaraj. I don’t think beyond that he had any real motive to uplift.
Narrator: But Gandhi’s motives were strong enough, after he had gone back to India, to be tested in the great fast at Poona. He was prepared for it, Pyarelal remembers, amid the conflicts of the London Conference.
Pyarelal Nayar: He said he would not sell the vital interests of the Untouchables even for the sake of India’s independence, but he knew that separate electorates were not good for the vast mass of Untouchables. He said, therefore, that he would resist it even if he were alone, with his life. At that time again, nobody thought what it would ultimately result in.
A POLITICAL PARTY DOES NOT EXIST FOR WINNING ELECTION BUT FOR EDUCATING, AGITATING AND ORGANIZING THE PEOPLE
A meeting of the Working Committee of Scheduled Castes Federation was called by its President Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on 21st August 1955 which was held at Jairaj House, Bombay.
In this meeting the Constitution of Scheduled Castes Federation which was printed in January 1955 was discussed. Some amendments to the various articles were suggested and accepted.
The report of this working committee along with amendments is as follows- EDITORS
The following members of all India working committee of the SCF were present at the meeting of the Working Committee called by the president Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, MA, PhD, DSC, LLD, DLitt, Bar-at-Law, Member of Council of States on 21st August, 1955 at 4 p.m. at Jairaj House, Colaba, Bombay:
(1) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, (2) Shri Rajabhau Khobragade (Madhya Pradesh), (3) Shri A. Ratnam (Madras), (4) Shri Haridas Awode (Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh), (5) Shri J.C. Adimugam (Mysore), (6) Shri J.S. Bansode (Madhya Bharat), (7) Shri C.M. Armugam (Mysore), (8) Shri Nilam Singh Gill (Pepsu), (9) Shri B.S. More (Aurangabad), (10) Shri R.D. Bhandare (Bombay), (11) Shri Hardas Asharwar (Vindhya Pradesh), (12) Shri G.T. Parmar (Gujarat), (13) Shri B.K. Gaikwad (MaharashtrA), (14) Shri A.G. Pawar (Maharashtra), (15) Shri V. Doraswami (Mysore), (16) Shri M.G. Velu (Madras), (17) Shri W.S. Kamble (Berar).
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: “Friends, we are meeting after a long time. There are various reasons why we did not meet earlier. As far as I am concerned, you know that I am not keeping good health. What I have noticed is that you have not learnt to carry on the work of SCF without me. The time has come that you must be able to carry on the work even if I am not present. I should be a sort of consultant. Wherever there is any difficulty you can consult me at any time”. After these preliminary remarks the various resolutions were taken up for discussion.
Resolution No.1: This meeting of the Working committee confirms the selection by the last working committee of Dr. Babasaheb alias B.R. Ambedkar as the president of the federation:
Proposed by: A.G. Ratnam (Madras)
Seconded by: GC. Arumugam
Supported by: B.K. Gaikwad
The resolution was carried unanimously. (continued)
