Untouchables’ interests can only be voiced by Untouchables themselves in sufficient numbers.

Evidence

The right of representation and the right to hold office under the State are the two most important rights that make up citizenship. But the untouchability of the untouchables puts these rights far beyond their reach. In a few places they do not even possess such insignificant rights as personal liberty and personal security, and equality before law is not always assured to them. These are the interests of the Untouchables. And as can be easily seen they can be represented by the Untouchables alone. They are distinctively their own interests and none else can truly voice them … Hence it is evident that we must find the Untouchables to represent their grievances which are their interests and, secondly, we must find them in such numbers as will constitute a force sufficient to claim redress. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 314

Categorization

Category: Factual Claims

Related

• Ambedkar argued only Untouchables can represent Untouchables’ interests. (similarity 0.91)
• Representation and office rights are denied to Untouchables by caste itself (similarity 0.89)
• Ambedkar argued separate electorates were needed to produce genuine Untouchable representatives. (similarity 0.87)
• Untouchables lacked civil, economic, religious and status rights making a bare vote useless (similarity 0.84)
• Scattered settlement of Untouchables made democratic representation impossible without separate electorates. (similarity 0.83)
• Gandhi claimed to personally represent all forty-five million Untouchables (similarity 0.83)
• Scattered Untouchable minorities could never win elections without a separate electorate (similarity 0.82)
• Ambedkar pushed for a separate Untouchable electorate against reserved seats. (similarity 0.81)
• Gandhi denied Untouchables separate electorates to protect them from village retaliation (similarity 0.81)
• Ambedkar saw separate electorates as giving Untouchables a reverse final say over the majority (similarity 0.79)
• Gandhi championed separate electorates for Muslims and Sikhs but refused them for Untouchables. (similarity 0.79)
• Gandhi consistently insulted Untouchables and denied them political self-organization (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Scattered settlement of Untouchables made democratic representation impossible without separate electorates. #expands (0.70) — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 378
• Gandhi accepted separate electorates for Muslims but not for Untouchables. #exemplifies (0.50) — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 383
• Gandhi consistently insulted Untouchables and denied them political self-organization #responds-to (0.50) — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 424