What I say is this. My land is occupied; my labourers do not get a chance of working on these plantations. Even for the tea I take I have to pay the same price. I am told that outside India tea is sold cheaper than here. If you are getting so much money out of us, after having put me to so much sacrifice, after having prevented me from using the land which I could otherwise have utilised for better purposes, after having done all that, why should you not give me a share in the profits? I do not mind my neighbouring provinces getting a share of it. Unfortunately, the new amendment which has been put before this House by Dr. Ambedkar does not take any notice of this question of tea. That is my grievance. I, therefore, suggest that tea should be put on an equal footing with jute and that you give us a share of the export duties. The Government of India have so long proved a greedy Government and have taken the entire export duty of the province. I hope I am still not too late in asking the honourable Members of this House to insist that justice is done to the province of Assam. If the benefit of the production of jute can be obtained by the provinces of Bihar, Bengal, Assam and Orissa, why should not the benefit of the production of tea be obtained by Assam? In pleading for Assam I am pleading for all these provinces as well.
