HISTOBLOG

Dalit Movement
- The main objective of the Dalit Movement was a establish a society in India based on social equality.
- Mahatma Phule was the first Dalit leader who started the Dalit Movement.
a: Role of Mahatma Phule:(Imp.) (Oct. 97)
- Mahatma Phule wanted to create a society based on equality.
- He worked for the improvement of the conditions of Dalits and the weaker sections of the society.
- He criticized the Brahmin class and elite classes for exploiting and oppressing the Dalits and other weaker sections of the society.
- He strongly condemned the caste system.
- He preached in his book, ‘Sarvajanik Satyadharma’ that every individual should stand against the social evils of ritualism, casteism, superstitions and all the social inequalities.
- He gave more stress on education as a factor in improving the conditions of individual.
- He was the first reformer to open schools for the Dalit girls and boys.
- He also convinced the government to open schools for the Dalits.
- He established his organization ‘Satyashodhak Samaj’ in 1873. Through his organisation he brought social reforms and social consciousness.
- Through his organisation and life time works he gave direction to the Dalit Movement in India.
- Dr. Ambedkar respected him as his guru.
b: Dalit Reformers of different provinces:
- In Tamil Nadu, Nadar Mahajan Sangh was established in 1910.
- A political organisation for the Dalit section of Tamil Nadu was established in 1915-16 in Tamil Nadu.
- C. N. Mudaliar, T. N. Nair, and Tyagaraja Reddy were chief founders of the Dalit movement in Tamil Nadu and Justice Party.
- Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar gave a revolutionary character to Dalit movement in Maharashtra.
10. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Dalit Movement:
a: Ambedkar’s view on Dalit upliftment and main contribution:
- Dr. Ambedkar believed that the day the oppressed classes decided to overthrow their slavery, for them the slavery would end.
- He had given a revolutionary character to the Dalit Movement to obtain from them the same social rights that were enjoyed by the other sections of the society.
- He was able to bring before the people the social problems of Dalits.
- He prepared the Dalits to launch agitation for securing their social, religious and political rights.
- He believed that the Untouchability was perpetuating because the Dalits were helping it to continue by tolerating it.
- He strongly condemned the Dharmashastras and traditions which perpetuated Untouchability.
b. Main Activities of Dr. Ambedkar for Dalit Movement:
b1: Mahad Satyagraha:
- Mahad Satyagraha was launched in Raigad district of Maharashtra.
- It was launched to establish the right of Dalits to obtain water from Chavdar Lake in Mahad on the right of equality of humans.
- It was launched on March 20, 1927.
- During the Satyagraha, Dr. Ambedkar brought before the world the inhuman injustice done to the Dalits.
- He advised the British government that it was the duty of the government to protect the rights granted to Dalits by law.
b2: Burning of Manusmriti:
- On December 25, 1927, Dr. Ambedkar burnt Manusamriti.
- Dr. Ambedkar considered Manusamriti responsible for the social inequality and the downtrodden conditions of the Dalits.
b3: Issue of Temple Entry:
- The restriction of the Dalits to enter the temples was another method of perpetuating the social inequality.
- Dr. Ambedkar used Satyagraha against the restriction on the entry of Dalits in the temples to establish their right to equality in the society.
- On March 2, 1930, Dr. Ambedkar and his followers offered Satyagraha for entry into Kala Ram Temple at Nashik.
- They used Temple Satyagraha to launch a wider agitation to raise awareness among the Dalits about their rights and inspire them to achieve their right to equality in the society.
- The temple Satyagraha was withdrawn after achieving success in getting entry in the temple.
b4: Issue of Political Rights:
- Dr. Ambedkar also gave significant important to political rights of the Dalits.
- He sought the right to franchise, representation in the legislature, participation the administration etc for the Dalits.
- He achieved a considerable success in securing the political rights for the Dalits by Poona Pact of 1932.
b5: Associations founded by Dr. Ambedkar:
- Dr. Ambedkar founded the Independent Labour Party in August 1936.
- The aim of the Independent Labour Party was to solve the problems of the workers and peasants.
- Dr. Ambedkar founded Bharatiya Bahishkrit Shikshan Prasarak Mandal.
- The aim of Bharatiya Bahishkrit Shikshan Prasarak Mandal was spread education among the Dalits.
- He established the Scheduled Caste Federation to work in the social and political field.
b6: Importance of Education as per Dr. Ambedkar:
- Dr. Ambedkar founded Bharatiya Bahishkrit Shikshan Prasarak Mandal for spreading education among the Dalits.
- Dr. Ambedkar considered education important for developing self confidence among the Dalits and for promoting their welfare.
- He himself founded educational institutions in Mumbai, Aurangabad and other places.
- The main message to Dalits on education was ‘Learn, organise and agitate’.
- He gave maximum importance to three principles of self respect, self reliance and self upliftment which for him could be achieved through education along with political rights.
b7: Journals of Dr. Ambedkar:
- Dr. Ambedkar founded journals like Mook Nayak, Bahiskrut Bharat and Janata.
- He used the journals to spread the social awakening and spread his message.
b8: Inclinations of Dr. Ambedkar:
- Dr. Ambedkar denounced Hinduism because it discriminatory attitude towards the lower classes.
- On October 14, 1956, he adopted Buddhism.
b9: Achievements of Dr. Ambedkar:
- Dr. Ambedkar obtained political and social rights for the Dalits.
- The major achievement of Dr. Ambedkar was that he succeeded in getting an identity and self respect for the Dalits.
- He adopted the means of constitutional movements and self reliance among the weaker section.
- Through his movement for Dalits, he made the upper classes to introspect and think about the social inequality.
- He even allowed the upper caste people to join him who were against untouchibility and who had sympathy for the Dalits.
- The main achievement was that he established harmony in the demands of the Dalits and the society.