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New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 176, 6 November 1942, Page 3

Sir,-I enclose the report of an interview with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, President of the Labour Party and Labour Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, with the request that you will print the most important statements. In a democracy it is necessary to judge a | Situation from all angles.

W.R.

M.

(Palmerston North).

Dr. Ambedkar, who as the first leader of the depressed classes to attain a voice in the Government, is peculiarly qualified to speak for the rank and file of India’s millions, dein an interview with The Christian Science Monitor that the Congress Party would find that it had lost much of its influence over the Indian people. ne "The people are in no mood for civil disobedience," he said. "They are too much distracted by the war and the problems arising ftom it. "The mainstay of the Congress in the field of political action consists of the working class," Dr. Ambedkar added. "I personally feel that if the Government takes care to see that price conttol is rigidly enforced and regularity in the supply of essential commodities is assured the civil population, and if the workers are kept contented by an appropriate rise in wages so that their standard of living is not lowered, there is no need to fear that any very great upheaval will take place. The industrial workers are unlikely to be drawn in. Their leaders have already shown antipathy to the idea. "But if there is discontent, Mr. Gandhi will try to exploit it. It is therefore immensely important that all just grounds for discontent be removed so far as possible." Replying to a question as to whether he has ahy suggestions of a constructive nature regarding the situation in India, Dr. Ambedkar said: "My view is that India’s independence was conceded by the Cripps proposals, and even if proposals were in a sense withdrawn, the position of the British Government is that it stands committed to that promise."