Do or die but never allow to be called Hindu
SHANKARANAND SHASTRI, R – 5/32, NEW RAJ NAGAR, GHAZIABAD – 201 001
India produced three great personalities in the 19th century. they were Quade Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. They were the leaders who created the rights for emancipation of their respective followers. According to the history of Muslims, Muslim rule was ended by the British. Jinnah demanded a separate country i.e. Pakistan for Muslims, before the British left the country. He predicted on June 20, 1940 at Lahore at a Muslim League conference that “Men may come and men may go, but Pakistan will be established”.
GANDHI SUPPORTED BANIAS
M.K. Gandhi, who started a “non- violent” satyagraha in the country, restored the honour of his Bania community which was divided and degraded by the Brahmins in their social order.
Brahmins manufactured many shastras to prove degradation of the Banias in the eyes of humanity.
Babasaheb Ambedkar, liberator of the 90% deprived masses, tried his best to give social status, poli- tical life and economic progress of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
Thus, we can say that these were the three leaders who created the rights for the Muslims, Banias (Hindus) and the ‘have-nots’ of this county. Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and others were mere followers. They were more interested in capturing political power to rule this country than to serve the masses.
In other words, 90% of the population was subjected to all sorts of exploitation and they needed a leader to liberate them from their religious, political and social slavery.
MUSLIMS BOYCOTT ENGLISH
In 1909 and 1916, conferences were held under the chairmanship of late the Agha Khan. It was attended by representatives of the Muslims, Christians, Anglo- X Indians, Parsis and others. They passed a resolution unanimously demanding separate reservation for all “minority” communities. The reason was that the Hindus were occupying all important posts in the British Govt. The Hindus not only claimed they were in an “absolute majority” but they also were well educated under the British rule. The British educated them well in the English language and got them appointed} under their rule. The Muslims however boycotted the English education. This was the reason why important posts were held by Brahmins only. This was a heart-burning for everyone and they wanted to fight this monopoly to secure their shares in all the fields. During the First World War, the movement for the “freedom” of the country was also organised by the independence-loving leaders. The British assured them that once the World War was over, the freedom of the country would be considered
DALITS AS MINORITIES
ln 1919, an Act was passed wherein the Depressed Classes were also recognised as a “minority community.” Montague- Chelmsford Reforms were also introduced during this period. To recognise a community as a “minority”, the conditions were that the community must have its own language, religion, ancient monuments, literature, culture etc. As per this definition the Muslims, Christians, the Parsees, the Anglo-Indians were recognised as “minority communities” for their all- round welfare. They were also I given the proper protection to safeguard their rights.
SIKHS FIGHT HINDUS
The Sikhs, who had their own culture etc., were, however, considered part of the Hindu society. As a result, they were not considered separate for political rights from the Hindus.
They started a movement for separation from the Hindu society and claimed separate political rights from the Hindus. They started a movement for to separation from the Hindu society and claimed separate political rights from the Hindus. This struggle of the Sikhs went on up 1925. A compromise was arrived at between the Sikhs and the British. The Sikhs were considered as a “minority” and offered all facilities. This was the time when the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabodha Committee Act was passed to protect the gurudwaras all over India. fun addition, reservation in services for the Sikhs was also declared.
I was propagated by Hindus that the Depressed Classes were part and parcel of the Hindu society. So, they should not be given any separate political rights. This was a dangerous step taken by Gandhi. Babasaheb Ambedkar argued that the Depressed Classes were a separate class from the Hindus. To prove.it, he started the Tank Entry Satyagraha at Mahad (Ratnagiri). Along with this, he started the Temple Entry Satyagraha in Nasik and other places in 1931-32,
Babasaheb never wanted to worship Hindu gods. But, he said, if there was one God, he should be worshipped including the Untouchables also.
The Hindus did not open the doors of their temples to the Untouchables, kept them away from the Hindu society but called them Hindus.
Besides, by their behaviour they proved that the Depressed Classes were separate from that of the Hindu religion. This was propagated all over the world. The British tried their best to help the Depressed Classes but all efforts made by them were ineffective due to the caste system.
The Muslims and other communities demanded reservation in the services and in other fields so that they might also rule this country.
UNTOUCHABLES NOT HINDUS
The Round Table Conferences were held in London in 1931-32. Babasaheb as a representative of the Depressed Classes pleaded the question of Untouchables and tried to convince the British that the Depressed Classes were not Hindus but a separate entity from that of the Hindus. They were never Hindus. They should be treated separately on a separate footing.
He asked the British to quote one single example where a member of the Depressed Classes was helped by Hindu. The British were very much ashamed of it because they did nothing to the Untouchables during their 150-year rule over India.
As a result of the discussion in British Parliament the Simon Commission was appointed to assess the conditions of the “minority” communities. The Commission put the question to Babasaheb: “Who were the Untouchables and why he wanted the reservation for them?” The Simon Commission Report was not appreciated by the Hindu “majority”. The Commission was boycotted by the Indian National Congress. So, the British had to call the Round Table Conference of all leaders in London itself. During this meeting there was discord and Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald asked them to agree with the Communal Award to be declared by the British Govt. Gandhi also agreed to abide by the Communal Award.
SEPARATE ELECTORATE
The Prime Minister announced the Communal Award on Aug. 17, 1932. In this Award those communities which fulfilled the basic needs were recognisees a separate community and reservation was made in the services according to the population of these communities. They were also given the right of voting and separate constituencies reserved for them.
Each one was given one vote whereas the Depressed Classes were given one extra vote. One vote was to be exercised by members of the Depressed Classes reserved for them according to population. The second vote was to be exercised in the general Hindu constituencies. So, a double voting was given to the Depressed Classes. This was done because Gandhi had been claiming that the Untouchables were part and parcel of the Hindu society. So, the Award conferred a second vote on the Depressed Classes SO that all the Hindus could beg votes before the Untouchables to prove Gandhi right. But Gandhi threatened the British Prime Minister that if the British did not accept his suggestions, he would go on a “fast-unto-death”.
POONA PACT
He went on fast from Sept. 20, 1932 at the Yearwood Jail, Pune. He broke his fast when the Communal Award was changed into “Poona Pact.” On Sept. 24, 1932, the exclusive right of voting for the Depressed Classes in the general Hindu constituencies and vice-versa was withdrawn. in place of the second vote of the Depressed Classes, 2 panel of four candidates who were to be elected by the Hindus was introduced. Thus, the value of the second voice was reduced to nil. As a result, eight seats were added to the Punjab constituencies, though there was no population of the Depressed Classes in the Punjab.
At present also, there are reserved seats for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, but they have to be elected by a joint electorate which includes the Hindu “majority”. Joint electorate means all communities have to vote for the seats reserved for the Depressed Classes. Although there are SC/ST candidates who are being elected from the reserved constituencies according to the Constitution they fail to raise any issue in Parliament regarding the atrocities committed on the SC/ST community. (V.T. Rajshekar, Separate Electorate & Separate Settlement, DSA-1996).
HINDU MISCHIEF
The selection of a panel of four according to the Poona Pact was very confusing and complicated. The pattern was that all the people who wanted to contest should approach the Hindus and beg to select a panel of four members.
The other mischief of the Hindu that society. was propagated that they all the Depressed Classes were also Aryans and hence they should not be mentioned as Untouchables but Aryans in the census of 1931.
The result was that this propaganda was very effective in the Punjab politics. During the 1931 census, there were no Untouchables at all in Punjab registered under the 1931 census. The result was that in the absence of any population of the Depressed Classes no seats were reserved to them. This was, however, rectified in the Poona Pact. According to the previous census of 1921, eight seats were allotted. This Hindu mischief worked very well and the Depressed Classes registered as Hindus.
The Depressed Classes were given double votes under the Communal Award. The British Prime Minister made it very clear that the second vote was conferred upon the Depressed Classes and not vice versa. In this way, the untouchability, which was a stigma on Hinduism, would be abolished. Gandhi disagreed and persisted that the second vote conferred upon the Depressed Classes should be withdrawn and they should be given only one vote like all Hindus as they were also Hindus.
Besides, the Prime Minister made it clear that the second vote was given to the Depressed Classes 10 exercise more power upon the” Hindus.
DALITS LOSE SECOND VOTE
The principle of separate electorate was also accepted in the Communal Award. That means separation of the Depressed Classes was also accepted. In this way all the minorities which fulfilled the basic definition to be a “minority”, were also accepted. The more dangerous weapon which was used by Gandhi was that he did not accept that there was untouchability in the caste framework of the Hindus. On this ground, Gandhi requested the” P.M. to withdraw the second vote. If he did not agree, he would go on a fast-unto-death, which he started on Sept. 20, 1932.
Negotiations. we’re going on between Babasaheb Ambedkar and Gandhi and his followers. Finally, the Communal Award was changed into “Poona Pact”, and thus, the right of second vote was also withdrawn.
On the other hand, the right was extended to the Hindus also. The » result was that the Depressed Classes lost the opportunity to mix with the Hindus and vice-versa. As already stated, the right of second vote to the Scheduled Castes was intended to remove untouchability. Under the Poona Pact, all the candidates who wanted to become members of the legislature were asked to beg the “Hindu majority” to elect a panel of four in the beginning. This panel of four should request the “Hindu majority” to elect one of them. The Gandhi a trick was successful and thus, the spirit of Communal Award west killed for ever. The separate electorate of the Depressed Classes was also confused and complicated, Separable: electorate means voting for electing their own. ‘4 A representative separately by them only
ARYA SAMAJ PROPAGANDA
The Arya Samaja’s of Punjab propagated during the 1931 census that there was no untouchability in the Punjab and consequently there were no Untouchables in Punjab.
They claimed that all the Scheduled Castes were Aryans. The Arya Samaja’s said they had no caste and hence there was no untouchability in the Punjab. As there was no untouchability in Punjab, there was no need to allot any seas to the Untouchables.
Under the Poona Pact, eight seats were given to SCs in Punjab
This was an act of killing by kind- ness. The sea is where immaterial. They had nothing to do with separate electorate. Still the propaganda was so much that in the 1931 census the population of Untouchables was nil.
RESERVED MPs MOCKED AT
Joint Electorate is a procedure under which all the communities vote for the seat reserved for the Depressed Classes. This was later changed to reserved seats, but they had no effect either in Parliament or outside. There are now over 100 seats reserved for the SC/ST in Lok Sabha but the elected MPs are deaf and dumb. These MPs have nothing to do with the problem of & Ts and their exploitation by Hindus. Besides, these members elected from e reserved seats are also made 1un of in Parliament.
The difference between separate electorate ai electorate is that in the I separate right has been act based on caste and: religion whereas in the second all the communities could vole far & candidate irrespective of caste and creed.
Gandhi played his Hindu Mischa’s and cheated the SC/STs and made our people permanent victim’s I Hinduism from which Bat wanted to get us separated and give us a separate identity
