Thanks to Editor for his nobility to correct himself and also apologize. It is true that “political power is the master key to social progress”, said by Babasaheb Ambedkar in his speech delivered at the 5th conference of SCF on April 25, 1948 (Janata, May 1, 1948/BARS Vol. 18, part-3, p.91).
The question raised by Editor is how did Babasaheb’s words that “political power is master key to social progress” was changed into “political power is the master key that will open each and every lock” (DV Aug. 1, 2010 p.4).
D.V. FAILURE
Advocate Bhagwan Das of Delhi had cleared the doubts in his translation of Babasaheb’s speech. He wrote “political power is the key to all social progress and the Scheduled Castes can achieve their salvation if they captured this power by organizing themselves into a third party and holding the balance of power between the rival political parties – Congress and Socialists. (Thus Spake Ambedkar, Vol. 1, p.81, edited by Bhagwan Das).
He did not use the word master key. He used only “key” but he added the word “all” before social progress which is more important.
Babasaheb always struggled hard for organizing the Untouchables through Bahiskrit Hitkarini Sabha, SSD, Independent Labour Party, SCF etc. and through his media (various journals). Babasaheb never confined himself to “Educate”. He worked hard simultaneously to mobilize on Educate, Agitate, Organise. That is why he could raise a strong movement and got success. But our Editor confined himself to “Educate” throughout his life. That is why DV could not generate and lead an all-India movement.
WHERE KANSHI RAM FAILED
Kanshi Ram and BSP worked hard to organize the Bahujan Samaj for votes only -to win elections but not for revolutionary actions. Due to the phobia of “master key” they rushed for “capturing political power” without understanding the real meaning of political party. No political party can remain in power forever. Without power, strong political party can gain many things. Babasaheb had proved this. He said:
Defeats are usual and normal. A political party does not exist merely for the sake of winning election. A political party exists for the sake of educating, agitating and organizing the people. This works the SC Federation has done beyond doubts and beyond measure. (BARS, Vol. 17, part-1, p.437).
MAYAWATI FAILURE
Mayawati became three times CM of UP and paid crores of rupees as income tax from the donations given to her by the Bahujan Samaj. She sold the media project along with its land in Noida. But she did not understand the real power of education behind the political power. Those who neglect the “knowledge centre” (media/education/ knowledge) always perish. BSP may be strong in politics but it failed to establish the media centre (knowledge centre).
Her “Ambedkar Park” is not as important as “media centre”. A strong “Media centre” could have helped her to capture the “masterkey”.
EDUCATION LEADS TO POLITICAL POWER
Babasaheb said:
Without education and knowledge, we cannot progress. We could not capture political power without Education and. knowledge. Many failed in politics due to want of right education and knowledge. 99% engineers and collectors are upper castes. What education and knowledge is needed to capture higher and key posts is not acquired by us except upper castes. Our people must read vast. You must practice to read daily one book or half. (Janata, Jan. 17, 1948/ BARS Vol. 18, part-3, p.86-87 -Speech delivered in Bombay on Jan. 14, 1948).
There are at least 9 centers of power in today’s world: (1) knowledge, (2) media, (3) socio- cultural-religion, (4) politics, (5) bureaucracy, (6) judiciary, (7) economy, (8) land, (9) industries. Those who give importance only to political power, neglecting the other 8 centres of power, are not matured Ambedkarite.
Babasaheb had warned:
Dalits will not progress without acquiring key posts in administration. Today all the key posts are in the hands of upper castes. All the problems in the life will not be solved only by political progress. Politics is one of many other things which needs to progress in life. In fact, Education is an important thing to progress sin life. After 25 years’ experience in politics, I feel that Education is more important than any other things. For this reason, I have founded Siddharth College in Bombay and will start a branch of it at Aurangabad. (Speech on Jan.21, 1949 [Dalit Bandhu, Feb.10, 1949, BARS Vol.18 part-3, p.147).
CONVERSION
Babasaheb had always given greater importance to social movement than the “masterkey”. He also stressed conversion first before economic progress. He had given the top priority to conversion. (Speech on May 31, 1936 at Bombay, Thus Spake Ambedkar, Vol.4, p.54, edited by Bhagwan Das).
STRESS ON SOCIAL MOVEMENT
As a student of history, I have been profoundly impressed by the view that, however, important political forces may be in the regeneration of a community, social, economic and moral forces are for more vital and that political forces are only a means to the social, economic and moral regeneration of a people. I have from the very beginning laid greater stress on social movement than on political movement. A very large part of 25 years of my public life has been mainly devoted to the cause of social uplift of the Untouchables. I mention this only to correct the impression that I am only a politician. For it is a wrong impression. (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedakr Charitra, Vol.8 by Khairmode, p.394).
FIRST PHASE OF STRUGGLE
Babasaheb had given priority in the first phase of the struggle to: (1) Education (knowledge centre), (2) media, (3) socio-cultural-religious, (4) politics. After completing this first phase, the second phase: (5) bureaucracy, (6) judiciary, (7) economy, (8) land, and (9) industries would automatically start working.
All the nine centres of power must be acquired under the control of the Bahujan Samaj. Only then the Dalit-Bahujans would be free from the slavery of Brahminism.
Babasaheb’s slogan – Educate, Agitate and Organise was also the aim of Bahiskrit Hitkarini Sabha founded by him.
- (9-3-1924 Damodar Hall, Bombay, BARS, Vol. 18, part-1, p.11). Other occasions where Babasaheb used these words are:
- July 18-20, 1942 AIDCC at Nagpur. BARS Vol. 17, part.3, p.276
- May 6, 1945 SCF in Bombay, BARS Vol.1, -. 357.
- Aug.21, 1955, resolution to amend constitution of SCF Bombay. BARS Vol. 17, part-1, p.437.
WRONG INTERPRETATIONS BY D.V. EDITOR
Dr. Ambedkar cited the famous Budhist slogan – Buddham, Dhammam, Sangham – which he translated into English as “Educate, Agitate, Organise”. (DV Aug.1, 2010 p.3). I do not agree with this interpretation. The meaning of both the slogans are different. Babasaheb refused to take refuge under the Sangham Sarnam Gachhami at his meeting with bhikhus in the great conversion ceremony at Nagpur (Oct. 14, 1956). Why? Budha himself did not give importance to Buddham. He always gave importance only to Dhammam and said, that Dhamma itself is its own successor (B&HD, p.152).
The Editor by following his own interpretation confined himself to “Educate” only and never touched the other two: Agitate and Organise.
Babasaheb said:
A political party exists for sake of educating, agitating and organizing the people. This works the SC Federation had done beyond doubt and beyond measure. (BARS Vol.17, part- 1, p.437). (DV March 1, 2010, p.2).
When the SC Federation had done the work under “Educate, Agitate, organise” simultaneously why the Editor interpreted it wrongly against Babasaheb’s thoughts?
CORUPTED LEADERS
The Editor said: “Only when the first two phases are completed, the people will automatically build the “Organization” to launch the revolution” (DV Aug. 1, 2010 p.3).
This interpretation is also wrong. Babasaheb first started an “organization” and through it he launched the movement to “Educate, Agitate, Organise” the people for effective political action. But the Editor has no capacity to start and run any social or religious movement. Therefore, he interpreted wrongly.
It is also true that all the leaders of Ambedkarite movement (organization) became corrupted, co-opted or very weak and hence cheated the people.
Babasaheb wanted to get the people ready for action through the process of Educate, Agitate, Organise. During Babasaheb’s time even illiterate people (Dalits) were so well organized that they were always ready to fight on the commands of Babasaheb. But the Editor does not want to “Organise” and unite the Bahujans due to his wrong interpretation. That is why he never thought of running a movement except DV.
The “masterkey” did not confuse our people but Editor’s wrong interpretations did. There must be some solutions but we have failed to find it out. The deceitful, corrupted and cowardly leaders have failed to stand united and run a strong movement.
Babasaheb said: If they were dependent upon the Government they would be required to mobilize, to Agitate, Educate and Organise their masses for effective political action. For without such organization no government would care to attend to their needs and their requirements. (BARS, Vol.5, p.475).
“AGITATE” PUT BEFORE “EDUCATE”
Babasaheb himself added the word “mobilize” and changed the order by placing “”Agitate” first before “Educate”. Because anger against oppression, exploitation, humiliation, suffering will compel the people to “educate” themselves and also “organise” themselves under a right “organization” and then take effective political action to solve their problems. Situation is worst but it will take time to generate dynamic leaders to run a strong movement.
GUJJAR MOVEMENT
The recent simple Gujjar andolan well organised in Rajasthan forced the govt. to solve their problems. The massacre of a Budhist family at Khairlanji (MS) forced the Budhists to explode throughout Maharashtra which shook the whole country. This explosion of anger needed no “Education” Dalits are the worst persecuted in India by the upper castes.
The force of Dalit-Bahujan population is tremendous but their anger is silenced by their own socioreligious political leaders and not by their enemies.
Not a single socio-religious political leaders is ready to die for agitation. They all are bloody cheats. In 54 years, only twice political action was taken by the Dalits
IDIOTIC & COWARDLY LEADERS
(1) Jail Bharo Andolan throughout India under the leadership of Dadasaheb Gaikwad. Indira Gandhi was forced to Nationalise banks and LIC.
(2) All-India struggle to protest against review of the constitution by BJP Govt. The effect was that BJP Govt. failed to impose Manusmriti on the Bahujan.
Except the above two, there is not a single attack by Dalit-Bahujans on the govt. or judiciary to implement the constitution. Due to want of dynamic leaders Dalit- Bahujan movement died today. Our intellectuals and socio-religious political leaders are also idiots and cowards. This is the only reason for our failure.
CHRISTIANS CRITICISED
The Editor said:
Over 85% of Dalits are in villages or urban slums working as slaves. Except during election, they are not even counted. (DV Aug.1, 2010, p.4).
Babasaheb explained this in the context of Indian Christians but it may apply to Dalits also. Babasaheb said:
The Indian Christians are living in sheltered waters. They are, at any rate, a large majority of them, are living in the laps of the missionaries, for their education, for their medical care, for religious ministration and for most of their petty needs they do not look to government. They look to the missions. If they were dependent upon government they would be required to mobilise, to agitate, educate and organise their masses for effective political action. For without such organization no government would care to attend to their needs and their requirements. They are not in the current and not being in the current they care not for public life, and therefore no recognized place in the public. The second reason is that the Indian Christian is a disjointed – it is a better word than the word disunited – community. All that it has in common is a common source of inspiration. Barring this one thing, which they have in common, everything else tends to keep them apart. Indian Christians like all other Indians are divided by race, by language and by caste. Their religion has not been sufficiently strong unifying force as to make difference of language, race and caste as though they were mere distinctions. On the contrary their religion which is their only cement is infected with denominational differences. The result is that the Indian Christians are too disjointed to have a common aim, to have a common mind and to put a common endeavour, there is no community feeling. Indian Christians are not bound together by what consciousness of kind which is the test of the existence of a community. (BARS, Vol.5, p.475-476).
EDITOR’S PREDICTIONS
The tremendous force of Dalit- Bahujans is in the darkness. Their fire of anger is hidden. But there is no dynamic leader to light the fire and burn the existing ruling class. When there is sunset, there must be sunrise also. The Editor’s predictions have never gone wrong. However, the Editor should predict what is going wrong.
