Mr. Vice-President, it is a matter of great satisfaction that this Constitution has brought out a very important item and thereby untouchability is to be abolished in this great land of ours. Sir, though article 9 concedes many of the facilities that are required for the abolition of untouchability, the very clause about untouchability and its abolition goes a long way to show to the world that the unfortunate communities that are called ‘untouchables’ will find solace when this Constitution comes into effect. It is not that a certain section of the Indian community that will be benefited by this enactment, but a sixth of the population of the whole of India will welcome the introduction and the adoption of a section to root out the very practice of untouchability in this country. Sir, under the device of caste distinction a certain section of people have been brought under the rope of untouchability, who have been suffering for ages under the tyranny of the so-called caste Hindus and all those people who style themselves as landlords and zamindars, and were thus not allowed the ordinary rudimentary facilities required for a human being. The sting of untouchability went deep into the hearts of certain sections of the people and many of them had to leave their own faiths and seek protection under religions which were tolerant. I am sure, Sir, by the adoption of this clause many a Hindu who is a Harijan, who is a scheduled class man will feel that he has been elevated in society and he has now got a place in society. I am sure that the whole country will welcome the inclusion of article 11 in this Constitution.
