~.m

PERSJS!l!AE.Cm OP IDEOLOGY AD Si'i'Ii!S OF l?E~ns~,

EWIAl'S OP M~F~

88

~he ~6_V 0~ tihe -~ ClmODg Flaham 0~

~- ss ~matinS in the ~~ o~ tho SoteBuloi

Oaotea-t ~nt.e Sn tnai.n. Our -~~ hQ1'IG 1s t.o uniere.tm:ta t:te ~ mo1Jel'D.ettt by 6!ecuaef.ll6 the ~11~

(&) tho ~ttoology o~ th1a caste 81'0~ antt the sceial.

CODr31tions whSeh hd\yed tho· :f'~ilkar. ·BGVel:~tt al'ltl

(~) COD~~ c.ilal1~$$ Ouch GB c'i~lo~ og

~·t;. tenb.ci:e.s~

89

IB ori-er to u:ndem-tand the sooio1og1oal

eignHioame: SustU!vSJ:Jg the stwly o:f these point&• it is

aecess017 to ttlSke use of a l!'ef

When we ral.ate the prtnciple of eqnal.1ty which9 0 tha b!ahars aspire to win w1th the 1evel. o£ their

devel.opment, this mlati

91

·~ c1-W.'fte1'ed together in tho fom of a '~da. '' It seexns V-el'f! 11k-&1V that th~ live at the 1cwer sooio-

e~ 1evo.le1 altho~ m.quent ehallgee 1n tb.eu

position have brout#lt about ilaP'1'0vemeut in their contlit1o.ns.

Eo0110mte ~shiPs or pave~ as such shOw risne of

ree·Emtment ~ them all(} 'Ul&tr mo-v~t Sa direotea

towards equality am better wq at 1Ue U1 soetety ..

we tak'C o.oe~ton es another index. ~ had beGn rotml.ited into armiaa 0~ P~ BUd l.ater intO 'those

o1 Eest Wia Co~. In the armies of Mnratha ch'ie~a,

ell the ird'anby we~ men o'£ 1ower castes and were

treated with aisda!n. 4 J&lbar ~ootmen we~e known aB 'llak• and t- e·arn:et!GGG wO!'kad as. •·sa¥• in thG ~~ artU:le~ ~r as l!lGtor ueobanics ~ the 8$0~ car untts~ !lhfJ

~&mation of the~ s~ ~pl1fl~ th-e vaUaut

4

92

attitudes o~ ~· mU.ltQJ.7 bie-17. S fheir tnUlta17 sawtooa. thus. op.ened up cllnn.nele ot> vez-t1Cal mobn~u

for now oceu.psttcils., Whereby-, they were qpo.sed to Western

!aeao ena cu.l:ture. This gave them new aw~s on ideas

of oqua11ty ana f~edom in eoctetv.

ln&tEttri:BUee-t1an and u.rblm1matJ.-on bavo brottgbt to

thsm new obmges .. ~be ~troduetton of mU:u;ws end busos.

este.bl.!shnmtt o'f mode-m industri-es GJ'14 1abour mrk~ gave

tbe Mahars mw OO:e:®atlo%:81. role and cJ.as·s oonsciouane&s

wM.ob. eupplnn.tea tlle caste oonsoiou.sn.eGa. Whey Wel."e pua.hed

into nGW oeoup&t!ons and heel to ebo.Ush Watan land ties. G

fhf!UWO~kea Sn the· ~·a.ve as "~eu~ ~ 6Q'Q8

93

labOUrers .• n'1 In ttaaik,. the raU\9tW Une pasni%8 tU"ough

lt. helPed tho Mabs.T& to ~ Q'P pet:tu contracts of

GQPPl_vitJg csalXt,. stone.. bdoha~ etc. and cons-'truett.zts ematl

buildirJg tor ra~s. Bomb~ ~etteer J."GPO.rtS ~ wo~ in buil.dlDS an& roaBs m lrolbapur. 8

1Jl1' the Jlin&taenth cent~, Sabam etartetl m~ m 1!0111bag 1dns anti in8.1ls'tries in Sbol.epur. Akol$ ant1 lfaspu:r.

In D'12. tl\G Umoucllab'test percentage in !!ombtq mills was t i1Q."e'e:ftt tma tn cit,- their pe roentoeo was be-low 5 . _ .. Eut by 1921• both !n ~ 253. i. .. e.. QbQut '2 pe~en.t we~ worldng in various m:ills ana 14 • 1.-e. about 1.0 pement ~rld.Dg 1n SESf1 et-e .• 10

7 8

9

10

iARU=a. mm:aeoh,. QR.·Q~&.... pp..,, 116. 119:.

iaaer.aewl A£ kmllv, Xo~~. smerclt~-· mss, P..-11:- ..,

morrfa. Dav$81, MorrJ·s, ~~~ w~rum .JmfSJe·m~lnat§:=~=== :Ucm lBUP Jii54.JM7~ Bomel.~. 1965, Rjt~14. G~R. Pmaban, llnlAJzaMblC VlQ.J'bm of :§am.b~E SID, Kamatalt. ~b1.:1Sbizlg 'Bouse,. 193B., p,.67.

94

In a smtl.ar st~ undertaken ~ Ba'l'Old ~ o£ ssawaa !D. Ptme p1'0Vea tba't out o£ 59 hoooea o'f Wtabars -in Saswad, ebout GO pe-rean't housas he! one melZlber awa.,v

VJ01:'kbg tn clU'fereat ~-

Whese new occ~t.ioml. ft)le-o, thae• provided them a

new coneciousnesa tow~ unityt new standard og l.Ue and

equal. o.S.'tl~enship. New ocoupat'iom enoou~d 1llem towazod

&6ucetton .ana lack of eduoat.i.on uas one of Ute factors vlhloh rGStri.cted ~hem to l.ow oocupat1ons. Economic bollila weakened

oeste preSU,dio:es.., Ola&s f-e&Ung began to ~· ~.bich

lit!uldatea caste 1nequa1.1tS.es and ceste tUet!notion&.

With t:he et-evatlo:a of thek mteria1 e.1Ul oul.tural. p~1t1on,..

thEtY begul to revo1t.

~& t.ntroau.otton o't education ~rtea b3' c·.brJetl-en

mlssionar!es end colontal rul.() had profoutra impact. on the

tffahaxs• development. It prep~ than \"4th t.be g~est·

tmnsfGrmatlon ana r~e-tSon wtth new taeas and

95 1natitutions. ~he liberol. and eecul.ar education initiated

by the British propegatea principles af equality end

£reeaom tn contrast to the eduoat1an in the bleraroMoal

HindU. caste eustom.

~he work of the mss s1 cmari.es «mOJ8 'the 1ov1er strata gave the Mahars a new wor1d of ideas based on reason and

justice. h the district of Ahmednagnr, theTa is a high

pe-rcentage of literacy because of m1sa1ona1'Y activities.

Their influ.enae on Mahars had been so PI"Ofouna in 'the sense

that I ooul.d cone across maey ~ qual.t.fied Mahare in

tho backWard regi.ons l.1ke Enrathwa&l. Mahars have a larger

percentage of English knowing persons b ecsuse of their

keenneso 1)) r hi~r education.

SchoolS wexe opened for Habars in Derar and Nagpor

areaa by late nineteenth oentu~. In 1B92, abotlt 16

epecfa1 schools :for the Untouobabl.es in Bomb~ provSnoe wexe

opened with 564 p~Us and in the central. provinces~ about

4 schools we:-re op.emd with 1.11 pUJ?Ue. l3y the ond of

ninete'enth cen.tu~,, Galkwad of Baroda opened lS speo~

schools for the trntoUDh&b'les. ~hese al.1 mlpaa 'tbe 14abam• educati-on very meh. Ev~n then the percentage of Mahar

11 tera.ten d'i.d DOt reaoh over ' unti1 1930s.

In brief.~ ecoll.O'Jldo. ~quttt.ee ana pove-rty, industrtalization and urbanization_ new oaoupational.

ro'les ana int~du.ction of education we'I'e sane o'£ the

26

fact.ors Wt.oh hetped too Ea.bars to ~om t~u !.deo1ogv basea u:pon $qua1 cttiEEmabt.J).. ~ began to orgeniee

tt!$mselvM 'to fight .ege.tnst social. ~usttoes eucl gross

ina

37

l.t was 'th.J.Ough this orgSl'lisatiOll, ~made

reg~ntatiOllS to the Simon Commission fo-r tho poU-t-ical

eategua-ras... Although he was aga!.!lat ~ ca:ste...baSad

organ'ieatton~ the sett~ tW o£ BB.S 1~tl.eete6 a caste-

baees ideo1ogy wh1oh 1Dfluemed tlle Mamr oasiie la1l3el.Y.

~he ~l.'mat1on ~ IntlGpenilent Labour Part;v (DR )15 -

e non...oast;1-eat po11tto·81 boQ.V as elstmed by its :B:nm.de~

Dr. J!mb,ea·k&r, was the ftrot of ite fdml to motiva-te the

ilfahars ~or a b®adar pol:D~al. out.loolt. Whe party wan

formed to contest $'lections in Dombrw Presid~ 1n 1937

ana has ha4 n mase...bea.e

38

tt$ prog:A."S.llltll9 was eOlllP.re!wMi've ana :radical. in 1ts 1deol.ogy wltiob .helJ)a-d the Nabars to pol.iti~

orgm~ em f'1i#tt-· ~he inS:tial pmae of the oonvoreion . -movement t>y- tile ~~ hl 1~36 gathered tnOlrSntum fl'O'm the

G%ttaflkat1onal pr~.o1!}1es of ILP.

was :formea in Jllla 194-a. at n oon:t~e hel.d c-t !ifasPur tor the Depressed Classes.15 It was constttuted with H. Shtva:re3 as t.ts preoident. ihe pi.uo ~les enunoiatea m the SOF MallUesto wel?e ri@)X'Ous acon.-omio d po1it!ca1

f're,adcm; dght to equalitsr of opportmdty • State

respomtbUi~ to make evers Indian me from V10ltt and fear. maintenenoe

29

de"ade. l?rior to metepQntlen.co~ it o~sed eaw~

g~ SEtQ·arate el:ector.otes at Poo~ lingpUI"• l'Alokn.OW aM

Xenpur. lts cast-e feGl.qs grsw fm)~ atl&i moz-a am not Onl.Y tt ·a1ic;mat.ed itself ~'Cl otho'%' llmhlDSD-daminated

pOl\'t~eo bttt b~t splits wJ.thin tl:!e Go~ul.ad Cas-tes . 17 themaelven •.

f.he neea to have wid~ po'li:tiea1 WldemtandillS for

the bettermnt ot" the D.e,p~ess:ed UCen lam Q( ~ (ru?I) ~i4h ~l'!Gsented 'tha' 1ower olasoes al.l. over the colmt~:V. P.PI

was to s:p-eak ib-r the rlnbar mavement sftsr tbe d~ath o~

D~. AmbGdkar !n 19'56. ~he various pbaees of the purty's

~tenee m MaMraahtm end outs'hle, illustrate ~ contraa.iC:ti

100 an orgtmization. Tbe orgaui2at~on also took mterest

in the :fOnm tion o£ the State o~ maharashtra. 18

The Part~ workea aa a mechanism of the development

o~ polit !cal ldeol.ogies among Mahars. ~he various

el.eotionB that i'ollowed 1957 el eetion, the Parey

mo'bUized the masses to win seats and :remain a factor of

power.19 At everg point of time when the organi~.ati.on remained a :force due to e1 ther SchQdul.e

101 mb.G ~S.oning of RPI for over a decade from. 1957

·-t.o 19G7t showe4 muoh ~ polittoal aisorga-1'11mation Vlhi.oh

gradua~ l:e~~ea t.t j11st 111m ~hEw Pa?t.t;ee a1m'ltl8 at

power.. D3' !959, ewtfeTemes G'l opmton hatl crept ® amO»g i~s l.ead&rs. ~ principl.ea underl.villg tbe ideol.ogioal.

base of the· Party wer.e aia.r~tea by tho I'arty•s 1eadersht.p

st VOTicll.B phas.es of its devel.opmaxt. 20

Ae in aey organtmtt.on baeed on a particul.er

t.aeo1omr,. EPI was also buUt ~on a pCll.itioal. idco:togy

whiCh dea1t w"ith scoial. and e-co140mi.o prl:no.!pl.es •

lJased on th!B• the o~antzation fmlatioll.Gd es a vohic1-e

of' mes protest main'lv by Waban against the eoc~

disebUities t~ au£fe:rred under tlleir oppressors. ~he

foft!ation of BPI had a pmf'oum impact 1n creatius e

e-e1£..1dent·t1U. a new ael.£-avrar&nees and a tbrwera..1oold.llg

tll'X'USt among the ~ of Moharaebtm.,

-·-------------------

102

llal~- .. butm..llt_, anothtn' o~m'ti.cm of l!abam eme~ed in Bombay in 1973.. It sprou;tea with the Mahar

wr!.~&m who haa a radical. ~do·o1oea bldl t 11» tn their wr1 t!.ngs ..

~heY protestea agaimlt the factt.on ridden se\l.f-seeldna

o·on'UP't ana aglllg 1eade:rs of REI. I'b hatl captured tma cal}tf.vated -the mi,nBs of the Schedul.ed Cast>e youth.

After a ~w Nears o~ milJ;tatrt actlv!lty. more of' sn

agitati.oml. tban organitm.t1

103

equal.ltl',, otc.~ as their ideol.ogr. ~he movement

o~ea i'rcm thie base and the l.eademhip guided them

to pr.at.e&t,. ~e ro.1ce of the 1eader~ !s what ·we deal.

with next ..

Whe bismrg of f.tab~ mow100nt :ln. Llabaraslltra iS

desieJlsd ov~r the ~a%'8 with an idee-1ogy and pro~

initiated by vari.otxs leaders. ~hey can"l~ ou.'t thei:r

at~ &lo~ and ~aeiual.ly for the ~ m givil'lg Ulem a new ccnee!.ousn.ess which ~ on these cl.aseer;r. lm

~is ot" these peraonalitiee El!lQ the vari.otm forces

that ehfu)ecl their :t. ... ie~ ~io and creative thit~

oontrlbut~ towardS a Q.~ peftl})ective of m~ me~.

Prior to :the ea~ of Dr .. .Alnbetl~ aa the

:' • eavtour of the Un

104

Pre-Ambedkar period of Mahar movement se.w the

GT!le'1"3$10E! of e spokesman by name Shtvm:am Janka Kamble . i'rom Poom b3" 1910. The Brit 1eh bavltlg given the Ulabars

a chance 'to ~kin the~ provided thom also edueaU>n

aml btJtter em;p1~ opportnmi.ti.es.. Katilb1e too acquired

eaa.ost1on ana th!s hel.ped him to represent tho Mab.are. 22

nsan i?ago31 Basod& was anU'"-Jlar Mahar l.eader :from

Nagpu who pre.acnea pr1DOiP1es o-'f ee1f-respect., individual..ity

and fNec'lom for Maha.TG 8lld Jffangs. He went arouDl Maha:rashtJ:a

preach!ag tho sam~. He urged them not to camert ~meelves

to~ other :r&l.~on. 2' He hafl fotmdea nsanmarg Bodhak N.l~it 9ama3u on 1 oct. 190'3 in Moplah~ his ~h pl.ace. ~he Satnaj e.xistet1 :for ahowing prlno;tpl.oo of rl$bt pa'th to

Mahars.

22 He ~ed problems to the British gov~mmant aemancling anpl.oymen't .opl)Ortwd.tiea for the Maha:rs ·tn th(t ai11~ as Sepoys ana soldiers. From 1,904- -to 19'30., he llafl sent ~ l.ettew ana memoranda to the goverment takillg ~ -various ltlsucu ooneeming Iflahtuos.. Re llel.d eo.nf'a.renoes:. ptib11Shea n~epapel:'S ana em~hasisea need for organizing l'lall.ars for unitet\ action. Whe later 1eade~Mp we?e to fOllow the sam~ pri.no:lpl.es of Xembl.e. He co-Operated Vl!th Ambedkar 1n epea1itea

105 Both 'these 1eadem \:q&:f."a active in organidng and

uni~iDg Mahars and sprending ideals of freedom etld equality

al!long them. flh&Y bad~ thus~ prepared the ~ork for the

later J.eaders l.ike Dr • .l'~betlkar and Gandhi to :represent the

UDtoucbables in an o~eniaed WB'S· '

Dhimrao 'Ramji. Ambedkar. 'tho l.eader of Mahm:s has

remained an exellij>l£u7 figure of mde:r.n India. ~m in a

soeially backward casta. educa'ted aooordizlg to Western system,

rational.. 1n out1ook and rebel.l.ious in te~eram.en:t~ he emerged

as the leader of Me kinsmen and l.ed social strugeles :for

them. 'He revol.ted against the caate Hindus and their

l.Gatle-mhip, bl..amad the co-lonialists for the s~pression o:f

the underdogs of th-e country t fought for social., poUtioa1

ana economic ~-reedom and b~a the tmr1V&lled cbam.oi.on o~ the »epreaaed Olas.ses. Re sacrUicea the domands o:t hio

intellect for the ceuse o£ the Untouamb1es.

Ha-ving lcll the Maham for 55 yeam from. 1920,

Ambedkar batl brought a rum· a-wakenin8 in them. Ria leadembip

fellf) intO 'three p!Ja.ees.. ~he fi-rst period :f"rom l91B to

1.~30, he v;as moTe fiE a sceS,el refomtst sn fi.Bh'thls against dgid caste ~stem and its 2:!U.de practice of

untoucbabU5.ty- but r.evo1t~d ·a~lrlst the 'fle'J!9' insti. tut1on

of •varn~t, a:ru1 set. h!mso1f as; the moa·e~ manu to

106

oodi~ new set of rul.es for the Untou.obables. ~his was

the naiveness in his ~proeah.

In -the .saoo.ttil ba1f o-£ his U:fe beginning fl'oa 1930,

he was a pollttoelleadoor Who stressed the n·eed oi' acq~

po11tical power fO-r tile Untouchables for eocial. and eo~mto

freedom. Re :fougbt for separate el.eotoretes for the

Untouehab1e:s aril set up pol.i'tical. o~aaUons to cmabl.e

poU:tical. power.

In tho 1est phas:e ~ hie l.Ue, he ~mo,ed Bwtdhism

and 1etl tllouGallas of his caetGtnen to it and emerged op~

as the rel.J.gi.ous :ro"f'o:reor of the Un.touebabl.es. He beJ.iGved

t!aat sootal en.e.noipation sn4 pol.itioel. aspira-d.ona of' the

»opressed mu.ot be su.borclirlate.a to relJgious seutilnenta end

religious thi~g which becsme the touchstone o~ his

l.ator thtnldsg snfl l.Ue.

He was a ·soo-f.t\1 ~oluti~. lH:s revo1utiom17

ohamoter a:na 1

107

fight fo? th~ir rights. ~bey foxmed effective eooial.

orgsai$ati.ons on these basos. His spirit of eexvioe 9lld

b~hG~~ :tcvo broogh't unity' am»g them end social emnse wae to ~ pl.ece tbm ugh peaea and P61"SUSSion a1'lll by

pol.ttical. means.

~. Ambeatm.r• s ef'f~cti.ve contribution to the Mahar . . ccmmuni.ty. waa duri.ng 1930 $o 1950 Ghich was tbe most

turb~ent period m the poliUed. :Life of" the MabErl'S. Be advocated a source of :purpose and coumg-e of cOl'Nlction

among them to organize and WJ.U). f'Or mass aotion. Social

re·generatton waa to aocOJ®~ politi.oa1 revitalizati-on. I

Be l.aid stress on tbG need of edaoatio.n f'or tiW

Malla1'S allil pol.tt·iet\1 representation t,o !lave equal. social.

statue m soe~lG't.V. He be~ h~ edooated ill the West , fel.t the neoeasifN ~ pro&loit.l.g lik~ea odu.oatei ma

etU>ett1e o£ lea&~ the· iU~t~1:at·e masses to socia.1. and

pol!.tioal vietolY. tie bllUt up hOstel. a fol:"· them and

emortetl aume-roos f'nciliti.es i'or them. Desai eave, 0 Spreacl of o&loation among sorrll.o ol.asses broosht batll from the

~ o£ tntEtllectnal.s suoh as Dr .. AmbedJ.l::a:P Vlho became

the epok

108

1ife af1il f2'0tn th'e nat-ionalistic feel.illg of pollt"1cal.

freedom of ouv eount%Y and its subjugated masses fTCm

eppresaors,. Re bel.i.eo-66 1n 'the power of pol.itical bodtes

to win f'l!!Ge4om for the meaos and endeMroured to fS,ght ~or

'the same £or 'thel!l. Mabars were to benaf~t f'.1tom his fight

for sep&l:StG e1ecto~tes, in Round ~able Confe.1.'&'f.SC·J6 bel.d et E~and and his eetti~Jg QP o~ po11tiool. organizt¥t1ons to

represent tllstn 1n the goveBl111ent.

:BE{Vona Ms own caste~ Dr. Ambedkar helDUl the

t1nt.oudlab1ea to win l.egal. right's and poUti.oal. freedotn.

But 1Us poU.tS.cel org~o:ns had largely benefitted the

mehare. By the GllC1 of b1s leade1"ShSp~ it was prao'tioall.V

eviden-t that Mebars. onlu benef~tted through their 1ea6er' a

attempts to laise them. !rbe re'l!gtous oonvers,ion wae an

~.U eon~rsto.a 0'1: tbe Mabars ol'lJU.

~ 1e1!t phase of Dr. AnlbGcl.kar"s l.eadersbip was spen:t 1n r-eUgious ref'o~ ms courage aml l.tberal.iom al"e m!nfor:c-ea 1U bte 1'el.tgione prtneipl.as. He e.preail

p-rlm'ip1es of' kddht9t ~l.Sgion ·ami oonv&l."ted t.ia.he.m to

Bu.tldhism aa the f!De1 rGV0:1\Xtf.ollJ!n'Y step o£ his s'f;ruggt~.

1l1B ~pme.Gh to mligtcn Vl8S et:htoal.~ soo1el. end aecular.

Everyth- was Fel®ecl to man and sooietu and Ba

26 See Seo-tlon 5.5.

109

His re1:Sgious V'J.~ contb1m4 empb-~1sm end

rati.oflSltsm aB1 he founa »wldh!sm as e Wfff of l.Ue jbr

the Sebtnl;t to ncqul1~ moml Tegenefttlon and social

emancipation. C.omereion to BWldhiem of liiebem ~tiuted

b;

110

Ga:rtfl:hl preferred peaa,etul. non-violent chQn8es in

Himlo. soetev. Wll!s was refle

111

aid not~ tml.Oh effect as he was more of o spiritual

1eader of 'th·e clowatmdden en.a stood fOro mU-allel. obj'eottv.e of aeM.ev·ir>g indepandenoe ~ the count~ ..

!m.bedtart: on the otb.er band, awakened se1'£..respeot

ena s.nterest 1n po11:tioe emollg the thttouomb1es. His

~s·1ened :crt tieSsm o~ Ganttbl' e l.ca.

1.!_2

lh ~'t,t~e 'te%!!19~ ~tea Gan

1.!.3

MUg!ous ~~1Uat.1ve. 9!ho revol.nt1otta1W epUit that

un6orlies 'tbe Di"b l.~ademhlp t.s often miSlea:dixfB to the g:oaDS !JniltlhSsts ,ana others-.

With tbe ftre:t ~om.e ~ BPI at Nagp~ on ' .. ' oct. 1~ ,_ OlG 1Gatloreb1p of the mv-Btta4bas ~&11 tnto the bnule ot lct:e G.&. Gattmaa enil B.D. Xoln'agatte. Dteferemes ·o:£ op1nton had ema~ged betweet1 them on f.h(t

tssue of ele.ctton 'to ~htm Leglslattv~ Oo~.U 1n .._ ~ -ltJa9. wh&n ~h:o i'onxer SQPportea 'R. s. Gawss.29 the latter sU!)portittg tbe late Dr. Ambedkar (e.on. o£ Dr. Amb~ >.

30 - ~1 P~. n. D. lllland~ B. c., l{amb);r and filw othup ana maraea vd~ Co~ on 1S Aug., 1966.

B..C.; lralnble, a mG111Jer 0'1 Ute tT.;etatU~nt too had ttp-:111i t0 tho Ptu't-3'. Be DOW f.'s a lea

1.!_4

f.M two gr4)UJ.8 that ere still. aoti.-ve as polltical.

forces ·am Ut-e ono 1oa: bl' lrobalgade whose fOl.lo'Vliage are

ut1'0Qlt 1n 1\Tqpe,, V·tdhales¥ ana at t.tmes ~thiaeS' with the Da1l.its ~ tnStiates p1'0teet fawartng fae:Sr aeeas.

!lalBl'S also. bo.'l.oug to Bmldhfst Soo~ o~ lrld~' tmil are 1ocl tw Ste 1eadereblp. WM lea6e1'0~ vms loose~ etruct~a tn. tho begt.n~. ~Gntd taeo1osies )lad

1.!_5

pnvauea In ·t:he 1.

1.!.6 eonst!tl\.te, the OOm'"erte.a l'iabaro o~ Mebarashtm. ~he

e.a~rgerlbe o~ thia militant o-rgardm.ti.on i.n lltlOB was the

~u1t ~the opportunis'tl.o- 1eade~ip of BPI and 1he

mountiztg atroc1t1e9 on De1lts all. over Maha.mslXtra. ~his

~trailed the educated Schedtll-ed Caste you.1h alld a fGVJ

'Panther" 1eadem :U.ke ~ Dbal.o md Namaco Dhssal. cane

f'o 1'\VaTd with & »aut o~imtion.

ihf) D&l.it l.eaaem ~ rema1at.M! in on ag!ttatiollal

mo·oa rathe-r than an oreanisat.tol'El. spil.~ of tho Datits,

:for a f'ew ,-~. started deveJ.opil:rg sectarian and

opponunist!o ti eaa which s.pl.£;C UP the Party in 1974.54

Dhas~ has b:1s fol.l.owera ~ in Bombay It Pame £mel

Aur:ane;aba6. In Pttl?a, they are n»der tho l.e:ademh1.p o~ L.ll.

Bhosti!.;&. !t.btty are an B.tltn~ of l'Sdtcal. 70u.tbs wro

be1.leve· m leftist and \ll,:t1Q,.loftt.et Uieol.og1os.., ~cocasiona'llV eeet. et a ~ta~ to afe:euss tam.es md

Pl~bl.G'DS of »al.tte.

Da11t.'G are UtOre oJget:tbecl lmiiel!" the l.eatlerGhtp ~

Ranaas Atalwtcl:e and Pt-nt.. Amn lfsbla who ~'lan ~

lJot®ay aWl mobUbe urb'en a!!! mml. D.allte en wel.J.. Ia

1M 11 118Uiilllk .... 011 J!"'rrlt ¥1 •rr ....

1.!.7

~baa~ Dal.lt& we~ ttn r(te~ led lq ~er Gaae mo becSfll:o :a crlmiml. 1a a llll2rder cas-~ am. ~

11entenrt.f.1d to ~s~~ tem itnp%'leo~ now. In Pnne, a

ftlotton is azlder ~he l.eademb!.p o~ Garlgaaber A1nb·edk..ar.

~be ~Grgel1Qe of v er·ious l.te61eaJ, org~ti.ons aoo11g

the 1191it s encb as Y~ • Ssna3wa61 Ywa Dal~ DaUii Y·uvak

Aka11~ Sa~l&mh V~* Yu'Vnkt~i.~ ~isamiti, et-c. 1to

name o~ a few.- tWeak ibr 6.1-t'fe-nmt t.

1!8

principles of ~ual.tty fbr these Depresaea Cl.tlsaos. ~be

poor protest and 1t takeS dtft'e;renit 1brm. With r~a:&'d to

m~. thor$ mrm-ta f1.l'Gt their social. ana polit1.cal.

protests ElgQ'!nst th& soc:io-cul. tu:ra1 antl pol..itical.

opproaaitm th«r Ullil~t Sa tb.e Me~ olt tlepr1rr·a:tiom.

?:be ~ o~ a eoo-1:al. PlN)test by the f&aham was

ftrst mtt!atea b3' Gopat !leba. W~mr in lS~ whc he

s:Ubmittocl a tlanoran&m to th.G then Governor ell l3ombay

egamst l!ahars teing stovped etlmsaton 1n the ~ .. 35 Sin.oo th&ll,. a series of pst.i t 10m bad teeu. ~d on blha1.i' of ·~lJa

Hat.ars ~oh ~1:e·ca.Gd thei~ sooial dUiat,ilitioo w.d

atecd~~'icns m soc.iety tm..d ola~~ ib1' &'leiDJ .. ansti~,.o. ' 6

Altllough t-his was ia1e begil:'fd.'t\3 of G b-~t by th~

Mah61' untouctabl.ea-~~' t}X) actual lt~" s-tl.U6Sle baa not be~ '

tm 192$ V>h@ D:t:. Ambe

1~8

after hts stnates ·&:ad estat>USb.etl hm Bahtshkrit. Mt'kamJ.

Sabba.. wm pl'Sno~les o~ this organkation fomea 'the core of th~· tnOV&l!Leat W1ieh was in ihe f~ of setyagrahaa

ana temp1e ent~ ~o1ts ltdtie.Uu. Lat.er l't clev-elop$6 !ttto a eytib1o&lo o·f poltttcnl, 1')llg .low en.d .euJ. tural.

tnove.meuts tmtl$r aU~ letel& of idaol.og~al. deVelopmen-t.

~he b.egllm~ of soctel protest bY Mahar Untouchables

tiBrlietl with the hts'tl!iO event o~ th;e Mabed struggl.G 1D.

1~ .51 It wae the 1ntt1-t4 amttonms of a revo1ut 101J11:7

,.,

120

epu.tt among the S.ohstl-tQ.ed Caste.a partieuJ.e;rlU the M.ahars

unaer the 1-eaclelShtp ~ 'Babaseb.eb' Ambatlkar.

Mellad Slaty~ Which took place mthin 'the ambit

of HifldU. ca-ste ord-er was the bee!nn'iq; of' the assertion

of righte by th~e Mab.ars to mvo a social. place in th&

aoote1\V. ~~ gained sel.£-.res_pe-ct end freedom. ena tumed 'to combat tta etigJna o£ tattouchabUS.V. T~ tenpl.e ettw eatye~ Wh:lch ~onowea Ua11e

121

!lasik40 were the· ·ot.h.er iq>ortm.t e.ttos of tG.Ple entxy

&t:rum'le· b3" 'the· t!a!Ja.re.

Whe eotleem m.a ~atldee exp;-e.-geed fOr 'the 1Jntouo:bab1ss ~ ~ Alnbeatar hf8U11ghted the sa\VQgra!Ss~

He wmtect to give them ur.dty ana eelf-idenUv by adoptmg

·eatN~ method~ lie ms used the same ae-thod at three

other tnstanoes later such m to SQport the Ant:S....Rhott-41 . I.egislative 'Bill jn 11SB, to back ·D» hts clemand fer

sepsrat·e ·el..ecto:rates in 1949 and fb~ l.s:ui tn Maurthwada .. erea in l~S.

Wh& beainnbtg o~ the sonial r~olt ~J th& Mlibam

saw the ·~rgen.ce oi' an ab1~ 1eadeNht> from c»1 untouchabl& hlmBeU to voice tiud.r gde~eo and fi8ht tor their eaofal.

right-s. ~.be movement 'took 1t.s f:om with the co~·atton

o£ a religioll.s 1de.o:logr V!lich pro~ssed Ull1 141 • equality a~

f'reodom. for th& l!Yabara.. Jatar the m.ov~t took 1t:s

political t~ ·• neo'es-_e:Statetl bJ' 12'1~ 1ea4em:b:ql to win tho£r~t-~:

40 !rhb 1ongut. t.Otn!>1e etl:r ~ement, ·was hEW1 ·at 'Bile:tk en 2 llr$rcb. '19-JG eeo. i#bt>usQB~a ()f' trn•·wiho"bl~ l.e41 b.y· B.,J.t., G&lkwad t-~ t:o :ente~· ilhe ~- terlu>li- o¢C!:U)lmr.~ !Db$ o.ee'ta ttt.naus · res:i(J'tecl theD :eMil$' e.ntl 'th-e atte~t. oon.14' ant ~-a svea after a cout.intt.ous e.trussle. ~or £~ve. 3eara.

41 Xho'C S. Wtn'f a land 't:cl1Ure q:stem in 'Betllagb-1 ·whtoh Atlbed'kar wantea to abolish.

1:22

.btbaatter Wl'Ot&* u It is wl'Otlg to say that the

prob1etn ~ t'b:e untouebabl.es is a social. preb'let:l. For.

tt te q,uit~ mil:lks the pro~Gm of d

On the basis of the polltieo1 pl.ea made by

Atibe

1~-1

eno-ihe~ omnee to fiSht £or th.Gtr po1tttcal d.shta. b. ~· submitted a f!mT1lOrenilt11!147 to the OOlDmte·sion detan&Sng 'omt $l;.ectomtes Wl~b reaervat:1on o'f seats

for the »egwessea Ol.usen.

On ttl$ questtcm o-f ael)Srate el.eetomtes, he •sued that he :wot21.

1:25 The eonv~ o1 'the f1 ret Round ~ab1e COJlference

m ~17.6

126 It is a1liU not understood wcy he wes e

127

~he comemton mevement ~Uailed by Dr.At:l.bedkar

broU&ht r.Q,.tg!oue l.ibe.x-ati.on fOr the &bars of l'Jahamshtm.

WMs was tho! final. phaSe o~ pM~s' of the LJaba.-rs nndGr

Ambedkar1 s l;eademb.ip :ta reSa.ctq tho B1natl relSGlOUS

prlncipleS: ,ana fo-~ a. noo-lluaah!st icleolog.

It tvae· the re1i;ional-, moral. all{! epir1ttt.!:il eouoeption

ot a religtoua ideology ·by Ambef reUgiOn~ ·tit»·~ was aoo!a1 end eeoular and

tn.Oral1~ ·was tlte key-note of it.

J Gill-; Ai!

51

52

2e1Uo~ aays.t by nineteenth am tweatiet.h eetudes~

t-hee V1SS ~lscovet¥ o~ llttddbiem 1n lmlla. 54 And he o£tered to comr&rt b.inl$e1:f sna others to Bndclb:lem. !Tit>%' to the hS.storio ovont of ~r•.o con~ion movement in 1956, Ambeimnr tm& p:re-paTed tlt.Gm for t·he same. fb.e 1s.sua o

ot.her religiona but chose B\ldcUWJm. 56

Atnbeftar prefenea Bud

130

Poo~hl'ap«tSNa. a G.PO'kesman for Siamese BWlah.ism ba$

wrS t«t a pamphl&t .entitleS nne COl!l!l\VlUte e.re tmocltlns

at the doo~. beware.n seua. suaablsm ts the onl!V rel.tsion which can effectiv~~ ebr41eJSG the Haads~ d.!sleotioa'l

materialism..~

l.u:lother pamphlet 'llu.ddblsm in e demoorotio worl.d' publishe4 in 'Bangkok 1)y :nu.a,ahist eoc1sty of f.PMUDna ma t-ho o1tllil.sr ·dew., It. cava tha-t CotnliiU.l'dsm '9tews maivf.dual ae a f'tmot·ton~· 'Wltld.n social. orgoni.mtion. SWlBMsm.

GU\Pbast~s 'tnaivt&lal. peatCaml.lty- al28 responaib~t,-. 59

X.t wae Antb~'e !luman!etic approach ~s the

P1'0b1em of comremton to l3ud abSsm 'Which 1od ldl!l to a rather

wrong t\l)proaeh to Uards:m. ttls tdcolog1ca1 formatJ.ons

often was f'U11 o1 euomal.t.es ana c:mtmdtctiom.

He hatl aenouneed the sanctity .of -the ClElSs etmoture

ot sootet7. Bat 1D a Confereze o'f mabars h&l

131

socialism vma $eesea1? f1'om the poillt of Stat~ eoonanw.

He

132

11'1 beo·oatng Euadbiste..- Eahnm ente:r

133

Wi-th the new nwatranmg al2/l po11tical. coneoioutmess

t-~ neo-'Bttddbiots have achie-v~, 'the Mah~htre Gov~nt

p:rovifled th:e-tn an tile prtvtl~ in services snd eeo~ saf~~s to whicll they ware ·el.iaible be~G con'Ve1'81.ors.

Under A:rtiole 46 of Ule G:onstitution. an obligation is

thrown on the State to matm proviaionn f'o1! new converts as

is being done in the oa·ae O·f Schedul.ed Oa.st~s end ~ri.bes.

Conve~i.on to Bl:lddbiam.~ 'thns., was the EStabl.iebment o.f a

new itlenti 1U ~or b!.aham ·atlfi devel.opmen.t o'f o 1"01.1gioue

protest. ·-

Wb.G fhet pbaaG of Nahar proteat was on social aaB

political. issues under the lead&mhi.I> of Dr. Am.b«!Xl~r. It

gave tt!la l&>Wer asssc:m a new awareness bassd on equal

citizembip ma lib·oml.wea p&o.SDles.. He o~ed

thGn to figttt against umqu:al soGial etatus ax1d injustices

in soci~.

~he ¢econd pbase o~ thG: tnovenent s:aw a ~e 1n

ideoJ.-oew buii ta~hods of prot-oat wore same sa adopted 1:\V

Ambe~ tn his eoc.io-pol.ttical. P%'0't.ea.ts. · Protests ·W&re carri-ed out: m t'he poat-Ambe~ p&riod by t.trree ootegortea ,o'f· people, (a) those 1od by tmX lsad~.~*

(b) tlwae \Ultier ESI l.~cle~t ontl (c) th$ protest's 1ea

by· D:ntt 1:ead·e..~h1P~

Una·er the, cover of 'the J~ef'omat1ve spirit of tbe

a~-eseea underl.tnea i.n po11t1oel. representation ~ t be

masses by lU'I leaa~. they dGVe1oped o SJ.>il'i-t of' protest

to win equal rights with othe:e. BPI held sat,yeg:rabas and

morchae aDi S.ts ~rcsentati.ves vo!ced tha1r protest in

the BOJ%1baN Assemb~ ~or economio status o~ Da11ts in society ..

In 195'9·,· BPl orgsn;tzed a sa~~ in lfasik,. Jal~~

llli.nlia GJl4 Ahra~~ te acquire lend 'lor the 1andl.oss.

Lsnd was &tributea to the 1and1oss to tbie of~eot.

On 1 October 1964~ a nmasiv~ demomrtrat.ion was

orgtmieetl by w .. , Shiva:ra3 Sl'ld lea by Dadaaab.Gb Gaikwa4 in Del.hi in Vlhieb 'tm lDJth peo»le p~ioipatad as cl.aimed by

v. ~. mane. a C'OllPo.l'atol!" of Ptme mw:doipal.!.ty wbO ·was s pm-ti.o!Pant M.msel£. It was agaillst veri.oo.s at~tties commt:t ted on th~ lla.rt3atl& a11 over India snd a nub1Xl.Orencl·um

consisting o114 6-aauds was su'bmitted to t:h& then Pri.tae

Minister t Lal Babadur ShtlGtrt.

\lil!u.m the eemoran.

1S5

A mol.'Cha of s.ooo men tiU'ltl ~en marched to the Council. Hall in Dom~ OD Ju.:tu 15~ 1965, to proteet agaixWt

the ~e mom.bor constituenny en bebal:f of the Rel)ublt.can

~. GG R($Ubl.loan Party membEn's joined othe-r oppos1.t_ton

pal:'ties in ·sn. tantLstaxvauon.• protost-, chie.fly in satara

and Xo~~G1

With th-e emr8enoe of a yotmg mUitsnt. movement ~

neo-Buddhiet;e. llPI ·~&a a rad.ieal ~tiota%7 image by

eevent.tes. Y"t stnl. daalt witb issues that ai'feetri the

neo-13udabi.otu in Mabarasht.ra. Unilor va.rious govemmenta,

they voiced thel$' protest against the mrne-Sillent o£ mo-

lluddhists. '.l!he neo-Bna 6b.ists vmo nwnbered 52 latms in Mabarashta end 0 .. 10 perCQ\t ell aver lntia a~ per 1971

census fought ~or wri.oue faotllt·i~ t.l:lmugb thdr po~i:ttc·al

O%galization. trem~a. ~and strSkes ldgblightea

their problems before the govemment and initiative was

taken by various ~iors of BPL

In a mel'!l()rand:UJn eubmitte& hl. Jril:9' 1!117 to ~be thaD.

Prl:me· M~·te~ of· l'tltlia.- Mo~::il l)eaat, the BPl (lrob~e

66

67

J!ii~Jffam:.tWi, ~' J'.lls 13. 19GS., q\1ot~ by sen:tot tn Ra~ ltt:>'tlUni. (

136

group) o~ PU11S city aem.azttie6 Ker adequate i'acUlt:tos for

the rvav-nudabtsts. It p1'0tGSted against the ~i.vg

at:roct~-teu on Dalits all ov~ ana mv..»u6dbas 1D. particllla'r;. It bighl~tea the issues o'f eoeio-eoon.oms.c

Sllil poltti.ca1. mture the:t ool!Cerl1ed the .nsv....:Btlddbas. 6S

Despite all. thG assuXGD.cea givGn by ilb.e then Janata

govorment with which BPI iled sl1eged itself in 1977

elections• in pr~eotimg the righ-ts o'f the nav-Buddbas in

Mahe:reahtrst, it f&Ued to do so., Anoth~r memormaum s~ned

by uaaav war~ ana v .s. mane. the presfiient and secretary re:epeetive:lg o~ RPI Po.ol'J.Q Bramh, waa submit ted in tho same

-gear repeat~ the eamG demands eu.oh as cmte:nsion ~the

rlgbt.,.e ~to neo..J3uctdhist'S and otoppage of atmciti~s on

them. 69 ~he ·saae ®aration was repo.atea in 1~ to the· new P~tme l!tM:ste-r~ sm:t. 7ndira Gan.clbt.10

---- t •• r au~ ~ -.- 1 1114 ......

--6-9 See Ba~~~ BPX.

10 :rna 1etter aatea 14 J'sn.. 1981, addreesea to her, tha. m?I put fo~h various demends euo.h as ~atdil8 the Mamtb.waaa UniVorei.v afte-r Dr· Atnbedka.r . e:R"te1lsion of ~hts to too neo-IJudilht.s'ts, deel.ara'tii.tm ~ Ambed.kar Jeyanti fJ1:q as a nati;om1 hol.idas-, COlltiJ:l.\la1tion of pelie:montary £o1'11 o~ gov-emmont as against 1ihe P~EUdential. fom o:f sovemment, eta. ~~~iJlf.lll§ .. Bhantttm Rem?.lll;S.mm

137 BPI had unae:rteke vari.otJS satyagrahes all ove-r

Mabarashtra ;\ri:th tho ts·sue of renaming rBara'tbwada

UniVersity after Ambdka.r. P:rebbat repo-rte ttat they

hel.d a aat.ya~ 1n £1"0ltt o~ tbe Ool.laetowte in l?oona . . 111 mao \'ihelo'Q 4~ e~port-em parttcipatGd SD1 th&y all. we-re arro&toa ent1 sentenced £-or short iowris~ .11

In on an. vartu organization maetins held near Atnbedksr ete.'ttae ~ Puno whe~e Bl?I also participated men

issues like ~iDa of' Mam:tbwada Uni'Vemi'f.W was again

tslcen tVi bYe Je.nata leado?t N.G. GoJ:e1 mt-1\tll.baseador to

:Srttetn... !rhe meatbtg was organized ~ ~ l3aba Adhsv, a noo-l!uildl'det soo!a1 wo1Cker o£ ~.'72

Xesa:r:$ ~edits o~ a moxoba tllat took place in Nagpur

organized b9 BPI in protest against &Q-v-ernment f s ~el.uctenoe

t·o d

138 AU its l.oadcl!'S a!':'e ttaha::s ana ita caste fe:elillg gave

it a aepa'1"S~t.e ia:ontiv.

!r~ Budtlbis't Soo-~ of India £eo tmd~k

v-arious pl.'O't-Gst movasnta in the e~se of i.ta fbnot1.oll!Ds

among nco..JbldaM:ets. X't was with -the ini:t"!at.i.'ve o£ m I that a 1n0morc&lm was sttbmi tto.d on babal:t o.f the Bombt\V

Bharat lln.tlebs Sangba to Rie R~btless Royal. Nepal.ese

Gov~~ on Oct. s. W4. against 1'e}?rGSSion committed on lfepal.tll!a l3Widld.ats.75 !!'·~ memorandum reque.sted tho ~venment to start negottst.ion VJith Fuji Gtuu31t tbe

Ewldh~ l.~der in set~ittg ~ Btnldh.i.st Peaeo tllro".gh the

cons~ion of •Pooee Pagodas• tbroll8hotxt the wo~d and

for ma~ Lnmbtni, the b~h pl..ac·o of Duddha, a eeutro ~

pi-rlmage.

Yea~ J\mbedk:ar, m a speech" made at the third Asian Ilttail!det Conference hel4 in D~lh1 ~m 1st :Nov. to

~

'5rtl Nov.-. lm4 • envisonea wi.Ue.r r-e1Jgious prog:ratllmeS ana po1io'ies fOr 't!!e ·nav .~lhlddllas. 1G

tn the year mso.. tn c mem~Jlenti.u.m ~a by meera Y .. AmbQ.dk~. p.ttesitlen't o1 :00% anti G:tlbtt.li'ttetl: t.o Smt •. Indira

Gandhi., Prim& "Minis-ter,. :requee.tetl ~r extensio-n of'

76

ttemoEmetam avail.able with ~ Eu.daha Sa~a. Bo~.

Qonr of the s~«)h ava.tlab:te vtith ~ .tu~lbedkall"• Bombtw.

139

ccmst1 tu:tiO'nal. facUit ies and coneeeaious to Bu.ddb.Sate

w.tw am ~-all3 Sehedul.ea Castes.

It was the ilni"tetl stxuggte w·hich oha:racterir&ea the . . Dal.it protest hom lftl2 v&en it vas eat llG'> to 19'14 when

the Qplit oc:ourrea. Pro'tests were against social. mu1 economiC

opposition td au Dt!tts, ift~ective of oaa'te an6 oomnnm~. For Snsta12t.1·e:, 4ft tho year l.t'f12 1n a village IDJuga.w of

Haveli tal.·uk vt4i.ch ls about ten mil.os f'rota Poona., a Mali

girl. by mae Jtemta was mped and mttt'derea by a Maratln

oaste ~e11-ow.,11 ltbout GOO l)al~s awed with weapons marched tewtmls the vUl.aga ana threatened to bum the Village-., U tbe culprit was not brought to books. ~h!s

wos m ~ o~ protest f%Om tb.Gi:r1 Bid~

%n 197"' • wll$n Sh~om~,a. vil3tted Pocma ana

·t!)p()ite de~ell6-t~Jg cas-te syatem at a fhmtion teld at

Rastha pet-h (P\lnf)'), he was inte~ea by about 200

Daltt y-ouths and 'tbt f\ulcti()ll wes cancelled tlu.e to 'this • . So e1 eo in 1974-.t' Wllen. I!Xl!ra Gaaab~ v-ist'ted Poena, her

was- was ats~~ea by a mGSstv& gl'Ou,p of Da1.1t-s tief:Ut tho Agrioul twea.l. College in protest agQJWt the g>v.~rmen-t·ta

indU~er~lle$ 1X> Dalit*s pro'b1era.

140 Yt wae., hOWGver, the united a'ttanp"te of protest

tbe.'t weN initial.~ undertakm by the Dal.ite m salving their p].'Ob1Gn.s. But intlepellflent pro'te~ moveue1ts were

held by different Dal.i.t smups after the spJ.it. ln 1915,

the group~ ·1ea by L ... ». Bhoe:la. helil c1han1as befo~ ElnpJ.oyment 'Excha~es ibr about ten dqs tn p1'0test against srowillB unemplo~nt of Da.l.ita. »llamas were al.so held before bal1t!s

ana private companies to sacUT'O jobs t'>r the DS:U:ts. ~o

tbat effect, a mass-tva demonetrGtion wee held towards Bank

of Moharashtra. The Da1its had boycotted el.ectiOIJS in ~

same year in pro teat agail'lS't 8(JV'omraent • s E\P&t.!W towards

them.

So alGo the group led by Amn Kemb1e held a number

of deraonst..ra:t.iom ami &larras in sol.ving the probl.eme of

Dal1ts. Fo-r e.xampl.:e:, ia 1977 ~ about 400 Dalite stopped the then

Prime ttintster. !iorer31 »eeat.•s vte:it to Poena in p~ote.st

against the aovG:~t• s 1~uo.tauca to provide adequate

otlnne.Uonal. i:ao-Uities to t.bG tte.o-lluddhi.sts.

ltu:ra-1.-basea protests tl·re effeotivel3 undertaken 'tv - . the sml.1er units of Dalit P·al'ltll&.ro... On 2G Jan. 1913, in

Rim village o£ lUti!ld district, ~n a Dnlit bog was beaten.

® caste Btnaus £or drawi~ tmter irom a weU meant for

caste H1nlius. ·the Dalit YUvak Akalta pr®e&ted aga1nst it

end Ute SaxpaDC'h o£ the vU1age was PWtishecl f't)r · 6 ~

1·11 impriscm.mt-. ~be. AllaUs stood against the social.

bOycott ttat r·esu1ted the inc:ideat.

ln 1$#74. a similar mcJtlcmt occurred in Vadov

villege ~ ~llkir tal.nk in Enldana district. When a l.

1·12 ~hwada tJnt-vemiv f!roa 1~ to tm. CJ!htd.r act.tviUes were also d!.raet:eti towards hel~ l.entUf:SS l.abour.em.

ftey ~usht asawt 'the ~st-~ o~ ptilaf!JI!fJU eut0l"l8 Musl.inB ana a eotrldttee knOwn sa 'itusl.!m Se.tyashoabak Man8al • ie

s~ UP to 't'llls effect:.

1't ia on 1!\o qaestion o£ remmq 1larrift.bwada trntvemity after Dr. Atabedltar tmt the Dal.its have made s

eed.es o~ protests £or the past few yeara. fhene l)rOtU"rts

dEmOte oeFtatn tmit s ~ caste £eal~t ematiollalitV aDl

tnaiff'erem~.

~- idea of eottb'ig QP a ~f!V·ersity in Eamthwad&, •

tbe me&~ baO.'kwSJ:d reg!on in Mebameh1ira., wan in11ttal.lJ]

brought tnto i.~t b3 Dr. Amb&akar, sen he Vieito.tl

Maltr-.®Q:1.'!' tin westem ~hwaaa in 1950.

~· rem&:lil'lg o'f the univem itJ' as llfare:thwada Univel.~~V was ww.ntmoua~ .agreed ~on among the beolltive

itGmbem of' 'tb:'t UftiVe:rsity wlP met tn 1959 to discuss th'G

issue .•

Dtulins the 5oth yoe:.e oel.ebrations ~ Mehad sa.eye..gra-!8.; tho i.oa1e was diSCttssed with the· mtntst.em

by- th~ »al.its., ~hElllt, ten months after~. on~ 11. 1'i111 t

n man'l0rtn4um eigllea: by »~N. SandaSbiV end Prof. M.R.Gamd

on be!lal:t· o:t the Bae!m~ C1aeses Un!.versity ~eaoh\n'S•

1·13 AssoeiatJ.on was submitted to the Executive Coumil (EC)

a£ Marathwada trni.versity u.da ~ the question of rat~aming.

!rhe memo·randttJJ1 says, n ••• It be11~es that the un:ivel.'Bitz7

will talm aote o~ the eantimmtal feel.ings in the baotrground

of' the plona&r work done tw Dl.~. Ambedlar since 19SO in the

eduoat1onal i'i.Gl

1·14

o~ a11 castes l.eadi.ng another morcba l:Q;ovg with other

demacls 1ike tnc.reasii:Jg seats in Engineering end medical.

coneses. 'Bat in the molOOha. the Dal:J.ts b.a

1·15

wi.th M.P. Obltnls as couvan.o~ end 58 otheT mGmbem in

oT

1·16

resero-ati.Ol'.lO to Da:U.ts and rcrname the Umversity after

Dr. Allibe~.tn lt'ba1re 1at~ went an an inaefinS.to ~er strike at 1rtda Ghoda on M.G. Road~ l!omb8\f, b·eoause 'tlle

o.bie:t ministe~ had re1us'ed. to aeoopt the Samit_1 •e

t'!!Gmorandu.m. S2

Another morcha of Dal.it Panthem 1ed by Arun lrsnlblai)

G~r Gada ami Prea Gobil. ~ook pl.tloe !n :BombtW in ~

1901 demanfling jutne~ enqatl7 into sn.t-1-~exvat.i.on riots

1n Gujarat &ntl f.Or the renaming o·f the ~tvemitJ'.S5 A

nt!llber of ~!ar morchas 1t1 Dalite eJ.l. over mmS: the

contl.nuation of the protest mov-ement in flahare.ehtl'S.

Wh& ·GllQrgencG> o~ D$1.1t Psnt~ movement in Mabaraslxtra

in seve'J1ttf)s was a cul:tuTa.1 prot:e~ bE!S'ed on a rad1oa1

!.deol.ogy. It's ib:.mation i.nitiatod lW yoUJlG Clil.itant

leadore 1~ Eaatt Dhale• N=tteo DhaSel:., latif l:tbst-ik (s Mus1im) and 3 •. v. E•ar. ·WtS due to three basic 1'aoto" which bav'& ·soc lo-pcU tt.oal. amt oUl. tu.'ra1 va11lOD.

~ho &:?wel.opment o£ lla'ltt Ute:eture ~. ei:lrt.t-$9

onwartls ostablished a deep rela1i 1ona~ b·~en Dal1ft

81 ia4iaU bam»»1 Bomb.ea'1 March 19, 199'1. 92 ~'~GA ED=m:~ lk>~, Ma~ .as. t:9S1. S3 m®BraMa~ Po.~ Ma..""Ch as. !991.

1 .. 17

writcen ana DtSlit Pant~ movemeat a£ seventies. !fhe ob3eetives bt;Jtltfna Dalit l'lteratum was to demonnrate a

different etdture altogether as aga1mt the e$'tabl.!shed

Jlaretht l.i-te-raturG of tho tim&. lt totttthed QP01l tha womt

mxf~ of the aowntrodden and Dal.it writ~ made thea

consoi.ona ~their ident-iv end ernvetl es a soul.'CO £ a

mU.ttG!lt ~oment.

It baS beEn e·ald0 npe~ the most not(lwo1"tby

coh1evem~tm o~ thG Dal.it Patttner movem.ent was li.terazy.

Th~h- r~-antl.eaa eriti.o't.am of tba essent~ mi

...

1·18 W'he Dallt S-abi:tya el!;Po·sed the ~oc-rao,u of the

aset~b2Se:d Hi.nduistte pri!lc1p1es .ana broc- into l.Se.bt the ectunl. oon4t't ions o£ 'the DelS.t's. mhe matn tbnst of

the DaUt U.terature~ howsver, e:eeme to b& i11 the ·sp.be:re o£

Sntell~ ~i.ng and orea'Cton o'f a revolu:ti.om17

consciousness ~ll8 t.b& DQl.lta. as DaJ.lt l)Oet:ri.es ani1 &to:rles bsve beau part of the

lls:lit prct~et againSt Dalita oppression. D\mlorous Dal~t

writers o'f s~ies and sevrE!ll'ties depicted the :life of the

lowe~ through tholr w.ritin{ga. Shentm:r BaG Ehamt's

colleotion o£ stortes "Menusldct B~ (c~ of hu.m..Gld.tN) . pub11shea m 1058 doptat.ed vaTtous pbasos of ma.tmr" s identity. Rts ·own 1Ue as an "infer-lor village servan't

11

!s

portre.vea 'tia"o~h hie wri:tSrJsr;J,.

In s~v

prO&& ~gan to._$.!$pl)e~.. Xaaav mesbrom•e f:irst nove.l bg

name "~ .ant JatJaU (roal.i-ty an.d caste) won tbe State .. .

a!l~ ?-or ~· beat 1'10V4 o~ the u~ 19?12,. !nbe nov~ dep~-ted -t~.· :&:tol7 o-f an lln'tottchable boy who 3otnec1 Bailsz~

to 1\lUU ~ li£-() long ·etnbitt.on. llts· own OQUeo'tJlon of GSSf.\VS aotuqEt'btmll (Statlow o'.t 'the i:orest> wbiOh te IGH't

149

liibamu (1it$ra~ eSSG3'9) wm~ published: in 1Sf13. B1a

Ul.JthallatlP (cl~ out) ftceive& the State ·Oove1"f!Dlent'c

ewud fo-r besir poo'ta? ibr tile year 19'78. It cligs UP i'a.l.sa

ob3eot9 Emi beh«V:lO"tXr o~ sce;tecfU.

Dhaenl:*s i 1Goll)i1rt11 ~e a eompJ..ex P-icture o~ :BombfU

s1um livmg. Waman m.mbalk~'e "Gookus11abaharil. lfavf.tlu:.f

(PO&t~ fxom boycmil tho vi.Uege botmda%7 >~ D:wa Pnwar' a

XomiWada (cattle pan). ~Gbak Spakale'e ns~ (tunm1)

.eto •. broQSht out the social. picture of Mabars.. otham like

Arun B.llmb1a;; Ra:3a. Dba1e" J. V. Pawar, J?entawana. Baeu1 and soo?es o£ otha~ re:fen-ed to the Dal.it point o~ view tbrolllt).

t.belr writ:lJlSs .. Wlle founding of uASmit~" (~~e.ion

Of cue• S f'eel.hlgs) 8 3oumal. devo-ted to ~t ~.irlgG

pro3eotad t~ image and hope ot »oUts.

Various eont~rences o"f Dal:1t wrtt~l's · wMoh are

hola «~ 'g~&r g1v~ them a chance to sbare out ideas.

In, 19$9:;, !:Tal~tm Dal.it Literature Oon:l.$rence was bela. ' .... - .. In !tJT6. anothe,r »aUt ll'tel.'atur& o-~ere~ was hel.d in - .. Nagpur ami ·ti lludahJs"t l.it~:ratue conf'~e m llombt\'7. Eeeentl-y tn 'BOJ!ibeu• tJla· Jo~~ (G~) org&Jd.eed a seminar on Dal:t1t Ute.rature-Jl$ ~heee c~emceo p-rovided them a naw wcn'l« o:f e2P&rieaces to ebS:re Vtith although

150

»alit s:cbool. o£ w.rititlgs. thus l inwsted naw idsas

with the taebara WbO became hOetUe to the syeten1 end

s~ported a rev·ol.uti.ona%Y social. c~e of the system by

mil.ttant mov:mnGnts.

We ha'\1~ al.ma6q seen in Section 5.2 the :f'uDctS.~

ana ftliltn"e te ~pub11can Party of India. !ale tu>I l.~dembip

feil.ed to att.mct 'the Dal.its to its ft)1d due to tts wro»g

polici-es and ·Wfq o~ fUnctioning. POVJer~ prest-ige anB money

hav-e become the centre of attraction far the BPI 1eadarsb.ip.

Pawathat!llnB pointe out·~ "~he Scmdul.ed Oaote

pol.iti.oim'JS have nead:F ceased to iilent1flv thE!lllSe1vea With

the cause o£ thet Schetinlad Castes l.ike csst.e Bmdu& 1n

poll.ttcs. ~- are itl.tore&ted in ~ tile pr1vtt.egas

that power brlng$. !th$Y ~laVe nearl:fao oontact:S with

the111' comDlU'n't

151

In ~e:otr,. the PaJ.!tU ~&ned to touoh the mass £ee1tnp,

~her :maa~ po1i..tiool. bene-Uts oat o~ the o~izstton.

'.Ph() PartY l'ra«embtP ettbomi»ated itse'U to h:egemQlW' o~

Oo~ese an4 fOUSht el.e~crs under its banner. On

personal. sntl :self1Dh around&• tie party was SPl.it iuto

vart.o128 em~ and thesG apltnt.er ~ could nver com$

togethe~ £g tn~ the ~~ton Q£ a mUttam .org:-MtGtion. ta sevo:atte:s~, Zt !dgb:Ugbt:al: i.'ilaa13 og unl:tq, e

1~2

s~respe·ct throvgh 1.ts mvol.u 't 1~ meEmS. tnt m a eoQPl.e of y~sw time:. tbe orgen1·sat1on got 1te~~

split to br!na t.deologioal. imbal.anoes al1d :t~m1;ary

spirit among the Dalite.

~he tdto'J.OaU tbnt guSaea the Pnuthers in the

beg1nrW'lg When thc:w sa--t up the o~ion in 1972 in

Bo~ 9 was one of 2'ttdloa1 in F.ature and based on the

ideo1ogv of Dr. Ambe.~. !fhe orgeniootion tri.ed 1iO commit

ana cotnb1ne all the oppreatte6 aeot1ons ~ the oociety on the baSis o£ Ambedlmr' a prl.neip1ee of en UllCO~tlis~

attitude to the su.pemtNOtve combined with a ra

1~3

a sta.tmOb be1S~~ in aonlb~ Amb~m with marxtsa

1& d his su.pport-era to a l.eftmt itle01o.glcal. arena at 'the

movement. w.b:U.e h3a ~ bo1ieves Sa ldnbeGar•s

pr1n:ciples ana ~ea bis own "Mass Movement." A -tbird

~ree unde'r 'the l.eatlOFGh!.p o:f AJ!QJ'l mmtbl..e anu ~as

Atalwal.e Pl'OV·!d~d a re'Vit:al.ising spirit to the Dallt.

movement.

Dhssal aaopts a Mam1Gt metaphor a:a.d fo~ him iiha

»alit etwggle is part of a largQr struggl.a of the mrld's

oppreesed.. Re bol.iev~e in ol.ass ocmsoiousnees emoDg

Dalits ·mn hSs claso spproneh envisages an organlz!nion ocnsi·sti»g o'f Sohe.tlul.ed Castes, the poor a1lil exploited

eaete Hindus also. FIG ccmsoiou.al;y beU.wes m confrontation ana. total ~Olu.tton. JUs. prtno!pleo are also baae.a on Ambedkar1 :£J l)hUosopb.v.

Ba.~ »i~neerea the fOrmation of' •»alit Plmthem. •

»basal. tmgine$Ntl the manUoato ot tbJ;) organi~t,i.on which

reAQo.t~a hts own. td$>10§ S1

1~4

ana BW::dl't!s:m·, .1 to adoptl;!tl rellgion. Dbal.-e and Dblleal.

dif4fe~ in tbe~ emphasis theu place· on eaeh of: these

aspec-ts .ana h~e t-heir 1liew of the identity o~ tb3 ootmnm:liiU. 91

Dllnaa1.. a. po~ bima:el:f wl'th h1S f1Ia.r%1st o~ientat.i-on

and assceiution nth Cotamnrutst l.eadem 1ikG ~e. ~ou.ld

not aetually b~ abot.tt b~adar idstift..catSon o£ the

Dalits all. over Vshemsbtra. Hie inf1uencas e-re 'lllO'Gt~ oltJ':...based 1lll.d hJa st~1ds are nab beyond cities Uko

llo~ and Poona.

~he cotnt:!lt1fttst 1llCJ.V$mant in Maharashtra has not been

much protnming .au« ooul.d not br~ about a unltN amoDS

\'rea~ see-tiors. ~ »alit Tl!3Sses ellmwS l.ooked ~o.n

Co~ta with hoet!.litg• :tor., they ignol:!etl caste

ino1imtiom of t.hG »al.tts whi-eh took tbom ~ :from

OotD.a\lllists:t tol~

~-a Dha1e and his :fOUowors bel.J.eve m Amboakar•e princ2;p1$ an:a 1.

155 fratem!:ty. socie1 just.ioe and social. unity 'through

eaucat.!On_. o~J.0a'tio.n attd agitation i"oUow~ tb.e path

1ed by Bud~ lrab~• Pbnl.e end Babaaaheb Dr B.R.lm1l>Gdkar. tt 92

Dr. l\tllb.eaka-r ts aeon as a 'total.ity by these llal.ita

ana tlu~l~ fttn.o"t1~ $nvol.Ves a ph!l.osophic tn1t1tl rather .. than a m~ o-rfettt.ea. pl'.'Ogxomme for the U11:t~mt.e Dal.tts.

R!s influ.em.es ~ teaoally coneen'tmted m Bombt:W ou.burbs l.1tte Ohem'bln! where i"ts 'Vtvasana F~Clucat tonal. Scoiety' ·rtma

schools Grltt hostels fo7 the weaker "c'tions.

'R&tnn~ Patal.iputra, a egok-esman of 'thG Mass

movement ~etm~ visited Ortsea, Wan.U Nadu ad u.P. m esUlbllshitlg ~iOliSM.p wi.th »al.t.te over there and also

to provegat;e their ideo1ogy.. ~he movem.en.t dQes nat seem

to emrt:s1011 .a b~bas$6. v~srsma ~o~ t-he messes saa it haS its !at.l\WlCe amq rather edunatea youth m t.ltban areas of ~b:t:m.

~he Dal.ito are more organised and aotiw W!ldar

the 1ead~» a£ A3.'un Xatzib1e nnd Eam&l8 AtQ.wal-e (in.

Maheraebt$)~ 'RalllG&h e~ .P.'Q~ . ~Q'eO Pbaltkaddey (trl D~ mel U.P.) enu Vmlh1 (~.Punjab),. Tlle moverum.t is l>eaed on the ideolow o.f Dr.. lun..b~ and

i'Unott~ ~ re1atea to· osgsnSsirlg ena etmontSJlg Da11ts

all. over tbe aount1:7. Nsverthel.esa, S.'te aet-~Vitl.es ao not

reach the Nnll.- based Dalits bat ettOJ!l)ta are made to bring

them to ita fQJ.d. 92h&y hel.d a na111onal. conventlGn in DelJli

in 1980 in Vlh1-e.b. Alzun ll'alnb1e said• 11Whe Dal.it Panther was

~omea not becauee Dhal.o and l>hssal. chose to o~ i.ae it

but beoauoo .. 'Dal..tts f'el.t tbat for 3ustioe tboy needed to be oigan!sed. "tt9'J

The d.isint.egra'tmg i'aotions am more evi.dmt amon

157

Whon th(W' ·mat 1:1 a caQP et s~t (Ptllle >, theu put £o1V!a~ 'tho quest:ions, (a) v1t19 theN iG povortu 1n the

COUD't%U, (b)~ ll.$~loymcmt, (c) Wtw' Ce.GtGisa, (d) t:iha't

is natiol:iSliS'nf? 'fh~ camp J.ssted for three &we and e!nce

'trum Yuk$nt cto.rted ~ionSzls ~l.~ the Dal1ts.

Y\lkrent ia not a po11tical party bu:t a 7}01-iti.oal.

or~ion, el.~ms a s:pok~ of it. It ol'l.'b' wants t.o

preestWiao Q11il tbrow ccmtrol. over the State but nwer waute

power. It .aims at a oastel.~ elassl.esa and ac1,tmti:tic

soci.$. Wbare CUGt be oaa:te ar.td el.ass s't'rugsl.es £or tbo

oo.ol-o-.ooonomio

158

00ll$ge in rtraratlmada was to Gtll!>baeiso the social. end

economiC probl.ems o.t tb$ Dalits. It be11sves m Atnb~mr•s idet>'logy ana