On 25th August 1949, Mr. S. Nagappa [Madras General] spoke on [New Article 295A] in the Constituent Assembly as follows:
“The Harijan Movement was started in the year 1932 with the blessings and active cooperation of our revered leader Mahatmaji. All these days we did it and we have been doing it with the public cooperation and by constant propaganda in order to see that the Harijan are also treated equally along with others. No doubt, Sir, it has brought about some psychological change in the minds of the people who are modern, who are civilized, who are educated, who can understand things, who can move with the times, but as regards people who are not educated, who are still orthodox type of people who believe in the old theory to those people especially in the rural areas it has not brought any change. Indeed, I am thankful to the Central Government as well as various Provincial Government for having been good enough to include an Article in this Constitution and having brought suitable legislation in various Provinces in order to see that untouchability is made an offence and that too a Cognizable Offence, but still to my knowledge it is not worked out with the same spirit with which it has been inactive. Well, Sir, the proof of the pudding is in the eating we must see that what you are enacted, what we have enacted, every word, every letter of it, it all be spirit behind it must be transmitted into action, not in cities, not in towns but in the villages. In order to achieve this object at least 5% of the Central revenues should be set apart, there should be a Ministry incharge of this people in the Centre to consolidate the work that is being done in the various Provinces and States. Another thing that we will go a long way in bringing this people to the level of the other advanced classes ease education. As it is in our Country illiteracy happens to be highest. After all the literate population may be 12-15%. If we take the Harijan alone I think it will be 1% or 2%. Every year we must watch what percentage is converted to literacy and we must give a great fillip to this movement for special education. Education is a key for all round development, unless and until we are educated, you may not be in position to bring them to the level of the other advanced people. I would request you to make elementary education compulsory to these people. I know that large tracts of waste land are available in this Country, but unfortunately, these people are not allowed to cultivate the land. I request the Government to have a definite plan especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. We must go on allotting these lands to those people in order to produce more food and in order to elevate economic condition.”
Comment: The wild cry of anguish which echoed 7 decades ago washed by desperate Harijan cannot be heard even by a Harijan Hamlet which is situate two furlong away from the cities or towns occupied by the most fortunate citizens.