Foreword of the Book
Reflection of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s Ideology in English Literature: A Critical Evaluation
By
Dinesh Kumar, Associate Professor and Head, P.G. Department of English, Dyal Singh College, Karnal.
SAMAJ WEEKLY UK-
Dr. Ramji Lal
Principal (Retd.)
Dyal Singh College,
Karnal
Mobile No. 8168810760
Email.id. [email protected]
FOREWORD
It gives me immense pleasure to write the foreword of the book, Reflection of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s Ideology in English Literature: A Critical Evaluation by Dinesh Kumar. Dinesh Kumar is presently working as an Associate Professor of English at Dyal Singh College, Karnal for the last 17 years. He is a young and energetic scholar of rare intellectual caliber. He has actively been participating in seminars, conferences and webinars at National and International level.
He is the sole author of three books- George Orwell’s Social Vision: A Critical Study (2019); Voices in Literature (2020), and Feministic Ethos in Pre- Independence and Post-Independence Indian Literature (2021, Lambert Publication, Germany).
Besides, he has also edited four books-English Language as Mediator of Human-Machine Communication by Natalia Lazebna, Associate Professor, Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University, Ukraine; a poetry book, Drops of Intensity by an Italian poet, Gerlinde Staffler; and Studies in Modern English by Natalia Lazebna, Associate Professor, Wuzerburz University, Germany, and the fourth book, Mapping Feminism: Unearthing Women’s Existence in the World Nexus edited with Ayten Adel Abdelfattah, Assistant Lecturer, Faculty of Language and Translation, Department of English, Pharos University, Alexandria, Egypt.
It is a widely acknowledged fact that literature mirrors society as well as life in true colours. It is the reflection of day to day activities being portrayed by the writers based on their personal experiences. A writer is the product of his or her contemporary milieu whose imagination and ideology is shaped by the environment in which he or she is living.
In this way, literature not only mirrors what is happening in the society, but also serves as a corrective mirror in which people of the society can look at themselves and find the need for positive changes. So, there exists a close connection between literature and society as literature manifests norms and values of a society. It also deals with the social, political and cultural changes that take place in a particular period of a society.
Some people are born brilliant, some have brilliantness thrust upon them and some achieve brilliantness. Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar (14 April, 1891- 6 Dec, 1956) belongs to the last division. Without any shadow of doubts, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a great patriot, social thinker, political reformer and philosophical writer with progressive outlook. He stands for all political, social and cultural activities and worked for the cause of human progress and happiness.
He is rightly called the soul for the Constitution of India. He crusaded for the betterment of the oppressed and depressed classes. In other words, this struggle for depressed classes, he stood as a man of crusading spirit. In this process, he played a significant role among the leading architects of modern India.
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, was the most educated and learned person among the leaders of his time. In fact, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar is known all over the world as a visionary and a great philosopher. He was a free and independent journalist and is a pole-star for the present journalists and columnists throughout the world. He strongly advocated the idea of equality, liberty and fraternity. He was founder of news papers-Muknayak, Bahiskrit Bharat, Samata and fearless journalist also. The philosophy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar inspires the underprivileged sections of the world.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who is popularly known as Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a multifaceted personality-an intellectual, a philosopher, a social reformer, a champion of Dalits, a scholar, a writer, a Constitution maker, an economist, an eminent lawyer, jurist, book moth, and last, but not the least, a feminist.
He earned unique distinction of being India’s first monetary economist who prudently analysed the problems of Indian rupee. He played a significant role in the industrial modernisation of India, and strongly favored industrialisation based on economic model along with core socialist values of Gandhian economy.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar contributed a great deal to the development of writing on social justice, political condition, condition of females and last, but not the least, the concept of education. Throughout his life, he worked tirelessly for the improvement of downtrodden people in Indian society who were neglected by the upper caste Hindus.
His ideology based on a democratic social set-up where there was no room for caste, untouchability and discrimination on the basis of gender, was followed by various writers in English literature including Mulk Raj Anand, Arundhati Roy, Omprakash Valmiki, Bama, Baby Kamble and Marathi writers who pioneered Dalit literature. He was a great source of inspiration for the younger generations who championed the cause of subaltern class.
There is no doubt in denying the fact that Dalit panthers also drew inspiration from his writings, speeches and movements. Today, a number of Dalit writers are composing their works centering on the ideas of Ambedkar where every human is being treated equal. Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar has always been an everlasting source of inspiration for literary personalities in general, and Dalit writers in particular as he was a man with foresightedness.
He drafted Hindu Code Bill (1955-56) that worked as ‘Magna Carta’ for the equal status of Hindu women in society. He did not hesitate even to resign from the cabinet for not favouring this landmark legislation. He was highly influenced by the three main tenets of French Revolution (1789), and preamble to American Constitution-Equality, Liberty and Justice.
His most significant contribution has undoubtedly been the chief architect of Indian Constitution based on tenets of sovereign democratic republic of India. Dr. Ambedkar played a very prominent role in the awakening of depressed, suppressed and marginalized classes regarding their rights, and to the injustice being heaped on them by the so called ‘upper castes’ of society.
He fought a hard battle to bring about unity among the untouchables by establishing political parties and organisations for publishing newspapers to disseminate information and spread awareness amongst them by exposing their causes. He continuously worked as a journalist for 35 years. He is also known as the pioneer in starting the organisation, The Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha in 1924. He believed in the principle of equality among the various sections of the society as propounded by Karl Marx. This is perceptible in his ideas of a classless society.
In this connection, Dr. Ambedkar strongly advocated the idea of individuals on equal footing as he says in this connection: “I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity, and his words inspired many writers and the humanity became the religion of Dalit literature.”
Dr. Ambedkar was born in the Mahar Caste who faced the evil of untouchability since his childhood in his school. Even after getting higher education from USA, he was the victim of untouchability in India while working in college and court. He was treated as an outcaste or untouchable. All these bitter experiences made him fully determined to work against untouchability and annihilation of caste-system in India.
He is generally hailed as the prophet of untouchables and downtrodden who worked for their welfare and equality throughout his life. His efforts to bring equality for the downtrodden people as well as to end discrimination on the basis of caste and graded inequality cannot be overlooked and neglected. Addressing the masses during satyagraha, Dr. Ambedkar propounded that the only way to rise and elevate themselves was learning self-help, regaining self-respect as well as achieving self-knowledge.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar strongly favoured the idea of upliftment of females in the society. He did not want the females to be the victims of male-dominated world as he opined that women were the target of exploitation everywhere in the society. That is why, he strongly favoured the Hindu Code Bill for the upliftment of Indian women. Besides, the Dalit women were facing exploitation-first as women, and second as untouchables or Dalits, and thirdly being the members of their family.
It also explores the idea that the untouchable women are not only the victims of upper caste Hindu people in India, but are also the target of other religious communities in the democratic India. He was also of the opinion that the untouchable women are victimised by everyone and everywhere as they are not permitted to enjoy the fundamental human rights.
The Hindu Code Bill presented by Dr. Ambedkar in favour of millions of women in India was a landmark achievement in eradicating inequality on the basis of gender and sex. To improve the condition of women and to empower women, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar introduced this Bill in the Parliament of India. The main highlights of the Code Bill were: Women have the same right to divorce as men; daughters have rights in ancestral property; and widows have equal rights in their husband’s property.
The Hindu Code Bill was opposed by the reactionary leaders of the Congress Party and the opposition parties, except the Communist Party of India in the Parliament, outside Parliament, in public and the press. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar tried to convince the members of the Parliament and outside the Parliament with the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, with whom he had an absolute majority after the election of 1951.
Jawaharlal Nehru withdrew the Hindu Code Bill after finding the reluctant attitude of his party members’ and opposition. It was a great setback for Bhim Rao Ambedkar as he had been struggling for a long time for women’s emancipation. He never compromised on his principles, but in the history of the empowerment of Indian women, Nehru’s move was reactionary.
As a result, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who was really striving for principles, said that the leadership of the Congress Party lacked will power and strong determination. This is a failure of the Congress Party. Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a principled leader, and he immediately resigned from the post of Law Minister on September 27, 1951.
In this way, after making an incisive and in depth study of various aspects related to women in India, one can find how females’ image has gone through radical and drastic changes. The impact of various movements and revolutions can be felt to decide the hardships and problems females are exposed with in their lives. Dr. Ambedkar He was India’s first male feminist who worked continuously for the upliftment and improvement of females in India. In other words, he was a true intersectional feminist.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was an upholder of the concept of human dignity. In order to preserve human dignity and human values, he fought a relentless battle throughout is life-whether it was the question of dignity of individuals, downtrodden and females in the society. The idea of human dignity is the central concern of Dr. Ambedkar’s philosophy which simply means to have respect by virtue of human nature.
In the society, what he perceived was the question of dignity which was very crucial in the lives of Dalits and untouchables who were the target of exploitation by every upper class Hindus. Dr. Ambedkar has given his heart and soul for the upliftment and dignity of the untouchables and Dalits who were facing discrimination in all walks of their life-social, political, cultural and economic.
Finding that the state ministry was unable to preserve equality in Dalits’ life, Dr. Ambedkar started favouring their causes. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was not happy with the caste system prevalent in Indian society. The only way he found to restore dignity in untouchables’ life was the annihilation of caste as he has also propounded his idea in his most famous book. Annihilation of Caste (1936). But, his dream was never fulfilled as he found strong opposition of the upper caste people.
As far as the question of dignity in untouchables or Dalits’ life was concerned, they were constantly humiliated, ignored, overlooked and underestimated from womb to tomb. The upper caste Hindus could go to any extent to establish the already established order in the society. They wanted to suppress and exploit the Dalits whenever they tried to upset it even in the slightest degrees. Numerous cases of atrocities against the Dalits were common and it happened because even untouchables are Hindus, but they cannot claim the right of the citizenship if it conflicts with any rule of the established order.
Dr. Ambedkar’s dream of annihilation of caste was never fulfilled as he found the caste-system and untouchability as the two sides of the same coin-society. Until caste is dissolved, we cannot hope of abolishing untouchability from the society. Failed to find any solution to restore human dignity in the lives of untouchables, Ambedkar thought of conversion, but he did not embrace Christianity or Islam.
He found Buddhism as the perfect option and on October 14, 1956 along with his three lakh followers he embraced Buddhism. Dr. Ambedkar revolution was a counter revolution to destroy inequality which regards one community above the other and, in this way, holding lower class communities in perpetual slavery. The worst kind of slavery that Dr. Ambedkar witnessed was mental slavery with no desire to develop equality in a caste-ridden society.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar found religious sanctity behind the caste system which was the most important reason why caste cannot be dissolved easily. According to him, every attempt to abolish untouchability is futile until caste is dissolved from the Indian society. DR. B.R. Ambedkar wanted to wipe out this caste hierarchy from the society as the idea of high people and low people had crept into the Hindu society. After becoming the Law Minister, Ambedkar tried to create a favourable and conducive environment for the untouchable so that they can live a life of human dignity.
From the above analysis, it is clear that Dr. Ambedkar wanted to save the untouchables from the clutches of upper caste Hindus, and for that he formulated some rules and regulations as the Law Minister of India. The conversion to Buddhism was the only way to millions of downtrodden where they will not find any caste and inequality.
In other words, they could lead a life of dignity and respect in this religion. This was a challenge that we find in Dr. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism as it indicates the continuity of struggle for human dignity until the upper caste Hindus do not treat untouchables equal in the social structure of the society.
The idea of education, as a means of upliftment and to preserve dignity, plays a significant role in Dr. Ambedkar’s contribution in the social sphere. It forms an important part of his social philosophy. According to him, the idea of education plays a significant role in the lives of all in general, and Dalits and untouchables in particular. The concept of education given by Ambedkar also forms an important and significant part of his slogan: ‘educate, agitate and organise’ for Dalits and downtrodden.
It was Dr. Ambedkar’s view point that education can play a powerful and significant role in the lives of individuals, particularly the depressed and lower classes to make them enlighten, conscious and vigilant about their rights. Ambedkar finds education as a self-enlightening process which is very much required for the overall development of an individual. Education imparts the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong in one’s life.
The concept of Liberal Education is based on religious inspiration of non- theistic nature. He regards education as an amalgamation of pragmatism of dowry and the principle of ‘Dhamma’ of Buddha. According to him, education serves as a bridge to connect the higher classes and untouchables through enlightenment and consciousness.
If Dalits and untouchables, which include women and depressed classes as well, were lagging behind, it was because of lack of knowledge and education. He thought that education can prove meaningful and fruitful in bringing changes in the lives of downtrodden. It is likely to be instrumental in every field- social, cultural, political and economic.
Ambedkar’s social and ethical philosophy focuses on making the subjugated people conscious of changes taking place surrounding them. Education will help them in changing their thoughts and behaviour. Consequently, they can progress and move forward in the direction of unity and freedom by means of education. The theory of education propounded by Dr. Ambedkar comprise three important aspects-recasting the aims and purposes of education; education as an instrument of substantive equality; and women’s education.
Dr. Ambedkar wanted every citizen of India to be governed by the principle of equality, and they should not be deprived of this on the basis of caste, gender and sex. The idea of social justice is closely connected with the social equality coupled with the individual rights. In this way, we can say that he dreamt of a society based on equality, liberty, fraternity and equal opportunities for all which was only possible by means of the expansion of education in everyone’s life.
Through imparting education, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wanted to awaken the consciousness of Dalits regarding the injustice- social, economic and political. Being the chairman of the drafting committee of Indian Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar found his utmost responsibility towards women and depressed classes. He thought that along with Dalits, education can play a prominent role in the upliftment of women in the society. In article 31(1) some important and special provisions are given regarding the education of Dalits and untouchables.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar found education as a tool for the upliftment of downtrodden and lower class people, but the main hindrance was social perspective that has not changed its image. In the wake of technology and globalization also, Dalit students are not encouraged to get education and thus, facing rejection from their teacher, Dalit students are deprived of economic upliftment as they do not have any updated knowledge of various scholarship schemes.
For Dr. Ambedkar, education opens the doors of light, wisdom and knowledge. He strongly advocated that social changes can be brought by means of education. Moreover, it will also bring equality among the various sections of the society. Dr. Ambedkar’s consistent and incessant efforts in the direction of bringing social, political and economical changes were based on education reforms in the society. Through his slogan; ‘educate, agitate and organise’ Ambedkar continuously motivated the Dalits to merge with the upper caste people in social, economic and political spheres.
Dr. Ambedkar’s idea of social justice is an important and significant in the direction of evolving a society based on the foundation of egalitarian perspectives. He found India as one of the largest social democratic countries in the world. The democratic values imply equality and liberty in the lives of its citizens, but the depressed classes and downtrodden did not enjoy equality in their lives.
The constitution of India advocates the safety of the marginalised sections in the society, but quite contrary to this idea they were facing atrocities and exploitation in every nook and corner of the society. This violation of human rights and atrocities against Dalits is a big question mark on the government’s rule and theory of social justice. It is an endeavour to identify the causes for increasing violence in spirit of various protective measures provided under the constitution and legislation enacted by the parliament.
In the 21st century, when India is making progress and development in every field-social, economic and political, the lower class people are able to avail the social justice in their lives.
The caste system, being the result of Manuvadi ideology in India, is so rigid that it is not present anywhere in the world, except India. A man’s caste is decided on the basis of his or her birth in the society, but it cannot be challenged irrespective of any talent that a person may develop. Hindu social system is based on graded inequality that kills the human’s spirit.
Various personalities in the world-Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela tried to minimise the injustice and exploitation of lower classes to some extent. In India also, Gautam Buddha, Kabir Nanak and Ravidas played a significant role to bring social reforms. Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule initiated non-Brahmin movement in India for the upliftment of Dalits, peasants, women and farm labourers. His movement was carried forward to abolish untouchability and casteist ideology which was the root cause of inequality in the society.
Although the Indian constitution gives equal rights of participation to every individual irrespective of caste, religion, language and birth. A close examination of grassroot level reveals the fact that for depressed classes, the problems still exist in one form or the other. The rights propagated by Indian Constitution are not enjoyed by Dalits and downtrodden people, and this discrimination is the part of Hindu social system. Ambedkar said that Hindu law is established as the Brahmnical philosophy as the untouchables are not still at par with the high caste people.
The establishment of social justice connotes the removal of inequality in every walk of the individuals’ life. It was Dr. Ambedkar’s view point that the vision of social justice can be fulfilled only when political democracy is extended into social and economic fields also. It is possible only when the monopoly of the elite classes will come to an end. He was well acquainted with the corruption rampant in judiciary system.
Dr. Ambedkar found that despite a long struggle and conflict against the wide spread discrimination, the lower classes are still calling to them ‘panchama,’ ‘untouchables’ and ‘harijans.’ Being social animals, human beings are by Nature inter-related and inter-dependent. An individual’s personality growth can take place only in a facilitative and propitious environment and for that the lower sections of the society need a recognition and identity.
In this regard, a society based on caste and discrimination cannot provide such an atmosphere and ample space for the human development. This is the main reason why the abolition of caste-system is an integral part of Dr. Ambedkar’s idea of social justice. Caste ideology is a big hindrance in the establishment of an egalitarian social order based on equality, liberty and fraternity-the three slogans of French Revolution.
His role as a crusader of social evils prevalent in Indian society is really praiseworthy as he initiated social reforms in every field-social, economic, religiour, political and law coupled with the upliftment of females in the society. His contribution in these fields cannot be overlooked and neglected. The relevance and vitality of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s ideas is also applicable even in the twenty-first century. Many authors in the field of literature have been inspired and encouraged by his ideology.
This was the time when India needed a man who could eradicate all these evils. Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was the figure with the advent of whom, there started a movement for females’ reformation. He is generally known as a crusader of women’s causes. He has also been hailed as a great feminist as he was a harbinger of women’s rights. He strongly advocated the idea of females’ emancipation and women empowerment.
As a social reformer, he continued to struggle throughout his life for liberation of women. Therefore, he was not only a messiah for the dalits, but also the champion of women’s liberation and their emancipation from oppression and suppression. He believed that the measurement of development and progress of a community depends on degree of progress, status and the development of women in a society.
Following the three ideals of French Revolution-equality, freedom and fraternity, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar also wanted that all these three ideals should also be enjoyed by the females in the society. During his stay in England and America, he practically observed and studied the equality between men and women. Besides, he also made a comparative study of the conditions and status of European and Indian women.
Apart from these, the impact of the Women’s Liberation Movement which was going on in Europe was one of the main reasons that encouraged him to preach the idea of equality in females’ life. It was also the force behind raising the issues of women in the Legislative Council of Mumbai, Executive Council of Governor -General of India, Indian Constituent Assembly and Parliament of India.
He protested against the evil practices in the society-Jogins and Devadasi. In the year 1927, while addressing a gathering of more than 3000 women, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said that “I consider women’s development as the measure of development of any community.” In 1936, while addressing the gathering of the Joginis and devadasis(Dalit women), Dr. Ambedkar gave a clarion call to fight the regressive religious practice of offering young girls to gods in the temples and to make the devadasis sexually available for community members.
He inspired the Devadass to challenge and fight this so-called religious narrative system related to gods. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was a firm supporter of the wider role of women. He advocated equal participation of women in all walks of life-social, religious, economic, and cultural. He strongly believed that women should have equal rights in the political field also.
Regarding the issues related to women, Dr. Ambedkar kept publishing articles in-Mooknayak, Bahishkrit Bharat and other newspapers. He propounded that women should have full right to property and the right to divorce. He explored the idea that women have absolute rights over their bodies and have the right to reproduction. He was against polygamy, but at the same time, he favoured widow or widower remarriage. Setting example in this direction, he also re-married after the death of his first wife.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar used to emphasize on inter-caste marriage for the people of the caste system for the eradication of the caste system, although 95% of marriages in India are within the caste, but this decision was taken by the Government of Karnataka during the Corona period. Two schemes-Arundhati and Maitreyi have been implemented for the girls of Brahmin caste. Under the Arundhati scheme, if a poor Brahmin girl marries in a Brahmin caste, 25000 will be given to her by the government. If a Brahmin girl marries a priest under the Maitreyi scheme, then a bond of 300000 will be given to her by the Government of Karnataka.
It is to be emphasized that the girls of other economically weaker sections (other castes) of society are not given financial help at the time of marriage. The State Controlled and sponsored caste marriages in Karnataka are definitely based on Manuvadi caste and Varna system. The Acts passed by other states including Uttar Pradesh. is against inter-religious marriages as well as rights of woman to marry and is hundred percent against ‘Ambedkarism.’
It is very important to understand how many women have this right in relation to the right to land or ancestral property of women. In fact, women’s rights depend on the status of the woman-married, unmarried, widowed, educated and uneducated. About 20% of the women in the world have property rights.
As far as the situation in India is concerned, we analyse the data from the beginning of the current century. In the year 2018, only 2% women agricultural workers have rights over the land whereas 98% of agricultural laborers are deprived of their right to land or landless. Out of about 80% women belonging to agriculture families, only 13.86% women are the owner of land. In other words, 98% of women agriculture worker and 86% women belonging to agriculture families are landless. It clearly means that women have no land anywhere in the world.
There are many reasons why women do not have the right to property equal to men. Among the chief reasons comprise lack of complete knowledge of women in property rights, lack of information about the laws of inheritance of property and the decisions made by the Supreme Court from time to time. The major weakness is that woman is hesitant to file a lawsuit against her father or mother or brothers for the protection of her property rights. Paternal family members also exploit the feelings of the girls.
They reiterate that if the girls took their share from the paternal property, then their relationship will be spoiled forever with their parents and brothers. Even their relatives will break all social relations with her. If there is any problem with her then she will not get any help from her paternal family and other relatives also. As a result, she will lack social and economic security.
Not only this, but it is also said by the family members that more than the girls’ share is spent in wedding and dowry and other customs. Additionally, many times the relatives of the parental family members try to exert pressure on girl to sign the agreement (deed), popularly known a “hak out” deed.
A majority of cases in Indian courts are pending in the names of inherited property and self-acquired property related to sons or grandsons. It is the most common practice in the landed communities in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. Rajsthan and other states of Hindi belt. The will is not necessarily done by illiterate persons but persons, who are highly educated such as lawyers, judges, doctors, engineers, scientists, teachers, IAS, IPS, military officers or active players of politics.
Such people also get registered wrong will and to deprive their daughters or grand-daughters who have a single daughter from landed property.. It is very difficult for girls to fight for their rights .It is not easy to get necessary documents related to land from the Revenue Department because of widespread corruption in the department. Moreover, to have witnesses the dates of hearings in the cases are postponed and every time the next date is given by the judges which are also a matter of harassment for females.
In short, we can say that after thousands of years of long struggle, women have succeeded in getting inheritance in ancestral property. But, in practice, women still have to go in thousands of kilometres to get justice. It will still take several decades for the right to equality in the ancestral property between the son and the daughter. Success will not be achieved only by making laws, but there is a need to change the anti-women mindset of society and mass movement. Ultimately, we get the opinion of the Supreme Court that once a daughter is a daughter, she is always a daughter. That is, it is not an alien wealth.
As long as the Dalit class does not have the means of production in India, the struggle will continue. Dr. Ambedkar’s thinking is absolutely right when he said that employment, food, clothing and housing is the fundamental right of every person.
Although Dr. B.R. Ambedkar used to emphasize the empowerment of the Dalit women class, in spite of this, the number of crimes against Dalit women in independent India is continuously increasing in the lives of Dalit women. They are the victims of as there are many cases of sexual exploitation, rapes and abduction in their lives. According to NCRB from 2009 to 2019, the crime against Dalit women has increased. In the year 2009, according to NCRB, 33594 cases were registered. The number arose to 45935, that is, 12341 cases more as compared to 2019.
According to NCRB, 10 cases of rape of Dalit women are registered every day. The data proves that no place is safe for Dalit women in India. The most regrettable thing is that the punishment in cases registered under the Indian Penal Code has gradually increased, but in the cases of Dalit oppression and rape of Dalit women, the punishment has been withdrawn since 2014, after the BJP government has come to the centre as the most preventable.
Whereas, the punishment has declined, the rate of conviction has come down. Under the SC /ST Atrocities Prevention Act, 1980, the rate is pending for investigation or hearing of 94% of the cases, as a result, it is a risky task for the oppressed Dalit women to get justice.
According to economic and caste census 2011, there are about 4.42 crore families belonging to Dalit class. The living conditions of Dalits are not congenial. About 23% Dalits are living in pucca houses and 24% dalits live kuchha houses of grass and polythene. The Dalits and Scheduled Tribes people live in slum area of cities. The report, further, highlights that the Dalit as a community face unemployment .About 3.95% Dalit families are in jobs (0.93% in government jobs and 2.47% in private sector).
The majority of Dalits is most poor because the monthly income of 83.55% families is more than Rs.5000/per month. It is because of this factor, majority of Dalits is the victim of malnutrition, hunger, anemic, and the Dalit children are stunted . According to The Global Hunger Report 2020 about 14% population of India suffers from malnutrition. Out of this population 30 % children are belonging to farmers and workers. About 50% pregnant women (15 year to 49 year of age) were anaemic. The average age of a Dalit woman is 15 years less than non-Dalit woman.
According to census, out of 56% landless families in rural area between 70% to 80% Dalit families are landless. About 18.45% of Dalit families have non-irrigated land and 17.41% Dalit families have irrigated land and 6.98% have other type of land.
India cannot be a world power or ‘Aatamnirbhar’ if a major section of society remains economically weak and exploited. As long as economic inequality, Varna system, atrocities on Dalit class, violence against Dalit women, rapes and other crimes continue, ‘Ambedkarism’ and his feminism will be totally irrelevant.
This proved to be a turning point in the movement for upliftment of the down-trodden and suppressed classes as it paved the way for agitation as well as a source of encouragement for the neglected sections of the society. Dr. Ambedkar, in this way, became an icon of inspiration and hope for betterment for the depressed classes. In order to give an air of grievances and sufferings of the downtrodden masses, this ideology is like a light-house showing them a proper direction.
The improvement in the present condition of women is because of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s persistent efforts to make the lives of females better and equal as Kamble finds in this regard: “Today many of our daughters and daughters-in law, are graduates. They are a hundred times more superior to ignorant woman like us. Even if their husband’s forgot the father, in the glory of so-called greatness, it is their duty to reprimand their husbands: They should tell them; remember what you are today is solely because of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.” In this way, the famous slogan given by Dr. Ambedkar “Educate, agitate, organise” has made the people to make them aware of the things that happened around them in Indian social context, perhaps it was a great remedy of the social problems.
The contribution of Dr. Babasaheb for women empowerment in India cannot totally be ignored and neglected. For three years, he fought to get the Hindu Code Bill passed. It was the greatest ever social reform in India. It is nothing, but declaration of women rights. It spoke of restoring back dignity to Indian women and giving equal rights to men and women-Rights to property, Order of succession to property, marriage, divorce and guardianship.
It was by any time a revolutionary measure and first step towards the recognition and empowerment of women in India. By these, a woman will have property in her own right and able to dispose of her property. The orthodoxy in the ruling party led by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee didn‘t allow this bill to be passed.
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was against caste system. In the year 1927, Mahad Satyagraha was organized and led by him for the entry of Dalits in the temple and copies of Manusmriti were burnt by him publically because derogatory references have been written against the downtrodden class and women in The Manu Smriti. In brief, Dr. Ambekar was great feminist.
In the nineteenth century, Dicey gave the concept of rule of law. It means that there is equality before the law and equal protection of the law. This concept has been embodied in Indian Constitution. The Indian Constitution also provides equal opportunities to all without any discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, gender and place of birth.
In the Articles-23 and Article-24 of the Indian Constitution, there is prohibition of the exploitation of individuals. There is a clear description in the Indian Constitution that the state will make its policies and proper arrangements for the means of employment and livelihood of all women and men. Equal pay for equal work will also be arranged by the state so that exploitation from the society can be abolished.
In the chapter on Fundamental Rights, Articles-23 and Article-24, the exploitation of individuals has been strictly prohibited .The purchase and sale of human beings is forbidden and the sale and purchase of women is immoral and prohibited by the constitution. According to law, the sale and purchase of women is a punishable offense. Women and children cannot be employed in hazardous jobs and forced labour.
According to Article-39, all the citizens, including men and women, have equal rights to an adequate means to livelihood. Article-42 of the Constitution directs the state to provide just and humane conditions of work and maternity facilities for women. It is the fundamental duty of an Indian citizen to protect the dignity of women (Article-51)
Dr. Ambedkar was a source of motivation for a number of African and Afro-American black leaders such as Nelson Mandela in South Africa, and Martin Luther in America. Mandela, like Dr. Ambedkar, also asserted the idea in this direction: “Education is the weapon with which you can change the world”. Mandela believed that by means of education, we can eradicate social evils.
Martin Luther King, the ex-president of America, being an African, was humiliated by white people in America with their racist beliefs of black being inferior to white. In his speech (I have a dream), he firmly pointed out: “One day my four children will be recognised in this world not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their intellectuality.”
Dr. Ambedkar was not only a freedom fighter in truest sense of words, but also the one who dreamt of a democratic India free from the clutches of British rule. His vision was to transform India into a country where freedom holds meaning for everyone. He dedicated his life for the upliftment of Dalits.
Dr. Ambedkar wished social reformers to create public opinion to fight against the gross inequality in the society. It is very sad that the media in the past as well as the present has projected Dr. Ambedkar mainly as a bitter critic of the Hindu religion and a great social rebel. By doing so, they have ignored Dr. Ambedkar’s multi-faceted personality.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, as a social reformer, believed in peaceful methods of social changes. He supported the constitutional lines in the evolutionary process of social transformation. He found the factors like law and order indispensable for social life. It also strives to sustain institutions that will make better ‘social order’. He opposed the violent methods in social change for it is an obstacle in achieving the tranquility and creates chaos.
Dr. Ambedkar did not believe in violent methods to bring transformations in the society. A welfare state of all cannot be developed on the grounds of terror, force and brutal methods. According to him, violent methods in a peaceful society are not only improper, but also unscientific and immoral. He was a true Renaissance man, a person who excelled in many different areas of inquiry. Though he was hated by orthodox Hindus who labelled him a destroyer of Hinduism as well as Brahminism, but historians now realise the crucial role Dr. Ambedkar played in recognising Hindu society.
As a social democrat, Dr. Ambedkar stressed on a much broader notion of stable reconstruction of country with the inclusion of growth and cultural integration in the nation without caste-discrimination. As the major architect of Indian Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar constructed the safeguards for establishing a more equitable society to millions of oppressed and depressed classes.
In this process, Dr. Ambedkar emerges not only as a Valliant upholder of the Indian democratic republic, but also occupies a distinctive place in the Indian Pantheon as a rare intellectual mass leader who awakened the social conscience of Modern India.
In the second half of the nineteenth century in Maharashtra, Dalits suffered from social inequality and inhuman treatment. If a Dalit went through the street of the upper castes, people from upper castes they used to cut off the head of the Dalit with a sword and bounce it by making a ball and sword into a bat. In the state of Peshwa in Maharashtra, upper caste people used to live far away from the shadow of the Dalit class people. The women of the Dalit class had to wear black clothes to keep them separate in the neck or in the bud.
Similarly, men from Dalit community also suffered as while crossing the streets of the upper castes, they used to tie the broom bandra on the back of their waist so that the footprints of his footsteps keep disappearing. Not only this, but also the people of the Dalit class had to hang the pot in their neck so that they could spit in it and do not spit on the road. In Peshwa’s capital, Poona, these rules were applicable to the depressed classes.
On the other hand, women of lower castes had to keep their shoulders and breasts naked in Travancore Kochin (Kerala), instead of covering them with cloth. Once a Dalit young lady went to the palace covering her breasts with cloths, and the Queen, despite being a woman herself, was enraged and ordered to cut the breasts of that Dalit woman immediately. It was a matter of shame that Dalit women did not have the right to walk on the road with honour. The tradition of Devdasi was also inhuman. In such a situation, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar raised his voice against the atrocities against Dalit women and untouchability.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was not only the maker of Indian Constitution, but was also an agitator. Food, clothing and housing are proven birth rights of the downtrodden and the exploited class. He believed that the Dalit class should rely on self-confidence to live a life of honour and they should accept three sources – education, organization and struggle, and believed that education, organization and struggle are the greatest means to break the slavery of Dalit class.
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s proclaimed that it is the birthright of every person to lead a respectful life. Presenting the philosophy of the movement, he has emphasized to his followers to be educated, organized and struggling. He believed that unity is the biggest foundation for the success of every struggle and movement. Unity creates courage and courage leads to the movement.
As far as the impact of Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s ideology on English literature is concerned, we find the reflection of his ideology in many literary works. He has been a source of inspiration for a number of Indian writers including Mulk Raj Anand, Arundhati Roy, Omprakash Valmiki, Bama, Maruti Pawar, Daya Pawar Namdeo Dhasal and Saran Kumar Limbale who deal with various perspectives of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
One of the important authors is Mulk Raj Anand, who is generally known as a social reformer, was profoundly influenced by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s ideology. He is a novelist with a purpose and a mission who has used his art for dissecting and exploring the varied socio-economic and cultural ailments of human life with a studied deliberated attempt towards the Indian society.
According to Dinesh Kumar, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as a social reformer worked persistently for the upliftment of downtrodden who were at the bottom of the pyramid of social structure of Indian society.
As a matter fact, Dr. Ambedkar himself stated in his first speech with the submission of Constitution on 26 November, 1949 that his main objective of becoming the member of Constituent Assembly was nothing, but to safeguard the interests of schedule castes. Dr. Ambedkar himself was a victim of age-old caste system prevalent in Indian society based on social stratification.
The most important book on caste ideology written by B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste has a very profound and deep impact on English literature as it has shaped the perceptions and viewpoints of many Dalit and non-Dalit writers. Mulk Raj Anand’s novel, Untouchable mirrors B.R. Ambedkar’s ideology based on the discrimination in the lives of Dalits and untouchables.
The present book revolves around the characters-Bakha, his sister, Sohini, Pundit Kali Nath and Havildar Charat Singh. Bakha is the main protagonist of the novel whose main job is to clean public latrines. Through his character, the novelist attacks the social abuse of untouchability.
In the social hierarchy, ‘Bhangi’ comes at the lowest ebb in the hierarchical social order. Bakha has been portrayed as a strange character because sometimes the simmering discontent and hatred against the so called upper caste people compels him to revolt against the social system, but very soon, he submits to his fate being an untouchable.
Sohini, Bakha’s sister, is another character who is subjected to the exploitation of upper caste Hindus like Pundit Kali Nath who tries to molest her by taking an undue advantage. This incident serves as an important purpose as through it, Anand delineates a vivid and graphic picture of pain and agony of untouchables.
They suffered a lot during the pre-independence and are still suffering in post-independence era. The stigma of taking birth in Dalit society does not get over with death. In the Varna system followed in India, Brahmins are at the top while the Dalits or untouchables are at the bottom of social structure of Indian society.
They are also termed as ‘Achoot’ in Hindi whom upper caste Hindus would never like to touch as touching the untouchables means violation of caste codes formulated by Indians. The attempt to molest Sohini by Pundit Kali Nath reveals the hypocrisy that is so deep-rooted in Indian society.
Although Pundit Kali Nath tries to molest Sohini, but at the same time, he is afraid of getting caught when she raises her voice, he leaves her. He tries to lay blame on Sohini by shouting, ‘polluted, polluted.’ Bakha wants to take revenge, but is unable to touch Pundit Kali Nath by entering the temple as the entire society would turn against him.
In this way, due to the prevailing orthodox views in the society, life was an ugly reality for the Dalits and untouchables who could not dare to revolt against injustice and exploitation meted out to them by upper caste Hindus. It appears as if born as an untouchable was like living a cursed life.
The attempt to seduce Sohini by pundit Kali Nath is a part of grim reality prevalent for Dalits in a caste-ridden society. This incident reveals the miserable and deplorable situation of Dalits. It is worse than animals as they have no right to enjoy. The fact is that they are considered as a burden on the society. They cannot do anything, but to feel helpless before the upper caste people.
Though Bakha faces abuses and hard time, yet was not ready to change his religion, that is, from Hinduism to Christianity. Dinesh Kumar deals with two alternatives to get rid of untouchability. The first solution is conversion to Christianity as Ambedkar also did by changing his religion from Hinduism to Buddhism with more than three lakh followers (14 October, 1956), but died within two months of his conversion.
The second alternate is advocated by Mahatma Gandhi who himself was a Sanatini believing in the theory of rebirth of Hinduism. He used to advocate that one should be faithful to his religion and he would like to take birth again as a Schedule Caste. He also favoured social reforms and called Dalits as ‘Harijans.’ If viewed from this angle, Bakha is against this conversion and submits to his fate being an untouchable as this evil is prevalent and practiced in Hinduism on the basis of Manuvadi ideology.
A close analysis of the present book reveals that Mulk Raj Anand was influenced by Dr. Ambedkar’s idea of caste ideology, but he does not delineate any crystal clear line of Ambedkar’s famous ideology ‘educate, agitate and organise’ for the abolition of untouchability. In brief, even today, after 75 years of independence, despite various laws, policies and rules formulated by government, the problem of untouchability that Bakha faces is not completely eradicated.
The reality is that the majority of the untouchables do not have any means of production. A large number Dalits are still living in slum areas in metropolitan cities and small cities, and are deprived of basic facilities for mere life. It will take many years to have ‘best days’ for untouchable, as Dinesh Kumar has inked.
It was not that India they knew, famous for its natural resources and diversity. It was the India where caste and untouchability were practiced, and where being born in a lower caste meant living an entire life under others’ heels. Both the practices have been deemed illegal in modern India, but the orthodoxy that breeds these practices always raises its hood in one form or the other form.
Omprakash Valmiki is considered as a pioneer of Dalit literature in north India. His autobiography, Joothan: A Dalit Life, is indeed, the autobiography of Omprakash Valmiki himself. The term, ‘Joothan,’ means ‘polluted.’ The polluted scraps of food left on the plate for hungry Dalits to eat and survive. This practice has been prevailing since centuries, and it is really painful, humiliating, and pathetic state of affairs in society and Indian culture which proclaims “Vasudhev Kuttumkam”.
Dinesh Kumar is right when he writes that Omprakash Valmiki deals with the sensitive issues related to caste, creed and class in a forceful manner. Omprakash Valmiki has depicted the real evils of society to the Dalits. There is a vast majority of Dalits who belong to working class and are living in miserable conditions- having no land, no property and living on the periphery of society. The main reason behind it is that they are leading a miserable life.
Omprakash Valmiki suffered in his school as teachers and students used to call him ‘churah’ means ‘bhangi’ (scavenger). He was treated in the same way as Ambedkar suffered from school to politics. Modern teachers of schools, colleges and institutions of higher learning have a great contempt against the Schedule Caste students as well as the issues like reservation in educational and administrative set-up. They are jealous of why Dalits as an emerging class in the society are getting education and awareness in the society.
The modern teachers are like ancient Guru Dronacharya who demand right hand thumb of Eklavaya as guru dakshina. Dinesh Kumar has aptly correlated the ancient and modern gurus. As a Dalit author, Omprakash Valmiki seems highly influenced by Ambedkar who wanted the annihilation of caste system. The mother of Omprakash Valmiki is equally rebellious against society based on oppression, and suppression.
It is a fact that even among Dalits, there is very strong division-even chamars, Dhobis and other would never like to treat bhangi as equal. They will never inter-dine or inter-marriage. Omprakash Valmiki was the first who passed his matriculation in his neighbourhood. Though Dr. B.R. Ambedkar advocated inter-caste marriages, yet after 75 years of independence, there are less than 6% inter-caste-marriage, and the percentage of upper caste and Dalit caste marriages may be lesser than that. The present ‘Amritkal’ is the Kalyug for Dalits because they are still suffering from the atrocities prevalent in contemporary society.
The first Dalit President was K.R. Narayan, an Alumna of London School of Political Science and most favoured by Professor Herald Laski. and further, Ram Nath Kovind, and now the present president, Droupadi Murmu There had been Dalit Chief-Ministers, Governors, Vice-Chancellors and Judges etc. despite these development, Dalits still face discrimination in every walk of their life-social, economic, religious, cultural which results in deprivation, violence and humiliation in their lives. Still, we find many cases how the houses of the Dalits are set to fire.
They are still discriminated in schools and other fields. The Schedule Caste representatives do not represent their Dalits people. As a matter of fact, they are Scheduled Caste of the political parties as Dr. Ambedkar once called. As long as the Dalits’ discrimination, hunger, poverty, oppression, suppression and economic deprivation continue, Omprakash Valmiki Joothan will continue to be the ‘voice of all community’ as inked by Dinesh Kumar in his concluding paragraph of the chapter. Joothan: A Dalit Life is the most important and significant autobiography of Omprakash Valmiki and credit goes to Dinesh Kumar to deal with it in details from different perspectives.
It is an established fact that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s idea of Dalit marginality is totally incomplete without discussing the Dalit poetry. Not only Dalit fiction and Dalit autobiographies, but also Dalit poetry is a powerful exploration of caste-ridden environment that had been oppressive for them. He advocated the idea of liberty, equality and fraternity along with individuals’ dignity. These tenants of his ideology are also inseparable parts reflected in Dalit poetry. However, it goes to the credit of Dinesh Kumar that he has selected outstanding and famous poets and their works in the present chapter.
The origin of Dalit poetry can be traced back to 11th century. The first Dalit poet, Chenniah, a cobbler, was the famous Kannada poet of 11th century. In the 12th century, Dalit saint, Kulave challenged the well established Manuvadi societal order based on the hierarchy which gives more privileged position to Brahmins and upper class people. In the nineteenth century, Jyotiba Rao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule, raised strongly the issue of inequality based on caste structure prevalent in Indian society.
The other scholars of 19th century who fought against Manuvadi system include Mahatma Ayyankali (1863-1941), Travencore Kochin (now in Kerala) and Guru Ghasidas, the founder of Satnam Panth (1756-1850). It is due to this background that we come across a galaxy of scholars include Dr. B.R. Ambedkar whose main objective was the emancipation of Dalits and annihilation of caste system.
All the Dalit poets are highly influenced by the sufferings, hardships, discrimination, and separation from the main mainstream in their personal lives. They seem to be a segregated community struggling for their identity in an oppressive and hostile environment. The Dalit women are the great sufferers because of soft sexual targets of the lust of upper castes. The beauty was to bargain or suffer violence. The voice of the suffering, humiliation, torture and violence and lack of facilities to survive are faced by Dalit women more in comparison to women in upeer castes. The predicaments of Dalit women is the major thrust of Dalit women poets in the chapter inked by Dinesh Kumar.
There is no doubt in denying the fact that the ideology of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and his slogan for the Dalits ‘educate, agitate and organise’ has provided the main impetus to these Dalit poets. Ambedkar is generally hailed as the ‘North Star’ whose philosophy and outlook supply the necessary life-force to the Dalit poets.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar opined that Manusmriti, the book of the Hindu Code of Conduct, is the root cause of the ills rampant in Indian society. He found it fatal for the Dalits because it is the basis of Hindu Varna system and caste ideology followed by upper layers of Indian people.
According to this Varna system, Brahmins are at the top of social hierarchy, while the Dalits are at the lowest ebb. They cannot reach at the top of the stair. In this way, Manusamriti establishes the hegemony of Brahmins’ superiority in society and creates permanent division among Indians. This division is against social harmony in Indian society.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s dogmas serve as a guiding lamp throughout the whole world from USA to South Africa. His principles are like a light-house in the clouds of discrimination, exploitation, suppression, atrocities and violence which Dalits face throughout their life. Ambedkar’s ideology revolves around the slogans of French Revolution-equality, liberty and fraternity in the individuals’ life as he wanted to build a society based on egalitarian set-up.
His ideas have been proved very instrumental as we witness a number of Dalit groups working enthusiastically and energetically in the direction shown by Dr. Ambedkar. Consequently, Dalit have started raising their voice against age-old biased attitude of upper caste people. One can perceive a change from voiceless to voiced as well as from exclusion to inclusion as far as the Dalits are concerned.
By using the word, ‘marginality’ in the present chapter, Dinesh Kumar has broadened and widened the meaning of word, ‘Dalit.’ From this angle, the term, ‘Dalit’ does not only include Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but also peasants, farmers, working class people living on the periphery of the society. In Marxian terms, it can be called as ‘Proletariat’ as also stated by great martyr, Shaheed-e- Ajam, Sardar Bhagat Singh.
The main objective of Dalit literature is to eliminate injustice, exploitation, maltreatment and suppression from the lives of lower classes. But, the present chapter lays more emphasis on Dalits and their rebellious attitude delineated by the Dalit poets.
Dinesh Kumar, in this chapter, deals with the poetry of Vijila Chirapade, a Malyalam Dalit poet. Being the victim of double marginalization, as a woman and as a Dalit, she documents the unending struggle of Dalits in her poetry. She has illustrated beautifully Dr. Ambedkar’s idea that Dalits having no land and property through her poetic outputs.
According to Dinesh Kumar, the key-concern of her poetry is the miserable and painful experiences faced by Dalits as they are constantly subjected to exploitation and injustice. The poet has challenged the ideology propounded by upper castes in her book, The Autobiography.
She, like Dr. Ambedkar, strongly advocates education as a powerful means for their upliftment. It will help them in making conscious, aware and vigilant towards the changing winds in the society. She opines that only by raising their voice like men, the women can rise and grow.
Pradnay Daya Panwar is a ‘distinguished and celebrated Marathi Dalit poet, who, according to Dinesh Kumar, has poured every inch and corner of her personal experiences in her poetic works. Her poetry is a powerful castigation of hardships and sufferings faced by her. Like Vijila Chirapade, her poetry is a powerful manifestation of feminine injured Dalit psyche. She constantly raises her voice against maltreatment, mental agony and biased attitude meted out to Dalit females when she writes:
“Oh mother…I know the customary womanhood of a woman.”
Seen from this point of view, she shares ground with Chirapade on the subject of Dalit feminism. They stand at the same platform with only one difference, that is, while Chirapade calls it ‘dalit psyche,’ Panwar terms it as ‘mental agony,’ but both strongly favour equality in the lives of females belonging to Dalit community.
In the same way, Meena Kandaswamy, the third Dalit poet taken by Dinesh Kumar for the study of Dalit poetry, is also the chief proponent of feministic creed and anti-caste society. Among the recurrent ideas dealt by her comprise caste, untouchability, feminine identity and sexual harassment of females.
How Dallit women are considered as mere object of exploitatation is the crux of her poetry. Being a social activist, Kandaswamy, has tried to enlighten and make conscious all the Dalit females of their due place and due respect in a world dominated by males and orthodox caste ideology.
Since time immemorial, the question of Dalit identity has been the central part in the Indian society. One should evaluate a person on the basis of ‘Karma’ and not on Caste basis. This has a long traditions and history. The first saint, Lord Buddha, while revolting against the evil tradition of Indian society, advocated equality of all human beings. The cluster of his ideas originated in the form of his ideology which is generally hailed as ‘Buddhism’.
The main tenets of Buddhism were spread by saints, sufis and poets through their writings throughout India. The poets and saints of Kannada language wrote against the menace of untouchability prevalent at that time. The saints like Kabir, Ravidas, Nabha, Dadu, Guru Nanak Dev Ji and others advocated humanism and equality. They preached the message of equality of all human beings.
In the nineteenth century, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule, opened the first school for Dalits in 1853, and first school for girls in 1848. Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Vivekanand and others also spread the message of equality among people for the eradication of social ills and vices prevalent in Hindu society.
Mahatma Ayyankali (28 August, 1863-18 June, 1941), being a Dalit, faced gross discrimination and humiliation. He started a movement for the education Dalits in 1904. He opened the first school exclusively for Dalits in Venganur, but systematic and scientific approach to the issues-education and evolution of untouchability was advocated by the greatest leader, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar raised the voice of voiceless-Dalits through his newspaper, speeches and writings. The cluster or aggregation of his ideas and vision regarding social, economic, cultural, religious and political regarding Dalits, untouchables as well as marginalised and non-Dalits-including peasants, workers, women and subaltern classes living on the periphery of society who faced exploitation, harassment, oppression and suppression.
They were treated with contempt, hatred and faced humiliation day and night. They were not treated as human beings. He has advocated emancipation of all men and women through education who were treated worst than slaves. All these ideas can be embodied in one word, that is, ‘Ambedkarism.’
The ideology of Ambedkar or Ambedkarism has a profound influence on the writers, poets and politicians of pre-independence and post-independence eras. Ambedkarism is the light-house spreading light throughout the whole world from America to Africa and from India to Indonesia.
Apart from Dr. B. R . Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi also played in a significant role in the upliftment of the Dalits. Like Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi also raised Dalit issues at national and international level. That is why, he is called as a great proponent and advocate of Dalits’ emancipation. He started the use of the word, ‘Harijan’ for the first time to pursue his aims and objectives. He fought against the apartheid policy adopted by National Party in South Africa which was another form of untouchability and a blot on humanity.
The Marxism, while advocating the theory of class struggle and abolition of classes to establish a classless society free from exploitation, was mere a fantasy in the Indian context. The proletariat in the Marxist philosophy also includes Dalits and non-Dalits as ‘Haven’t.’ Shehid-e-Azam, Bhagat Singh called Dalits as Proletariat. The progressive leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia also favoured abolition of untouchabiliy. The Communist Party in India, since its inception, advocated a classless society.
The origin of the Dalit Sahitya Movement can be traced back to last sixty years and it has its origin and genesis in Marathi and Tamil languages. It was followed by other regional languages-Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The first poem in Hindi literature written by Heera Dome was published in ‘Saraswati’ almost 108 years ago in 1914. The Hindi Dalit literature has its roots in 1980s and the credit goes to Mohan Das, Naimish Rai. Omprakash Valmiki, Suraj Pal Chauhan and others who produced a number of significant works. The Dalit Patrika was published on the eve of twentieth century.
Munshi Premchand occupies a pivotal place in the history of Dalit literature. He has written novels and short stories in Hindi as well as in Urdu. The main thesis propounded by Premchand deals with Dalits, women and peasants. He was a ‘Kayastha’-a non-Dalit, but has vividly, forcefully and rationally wrote about Dalits and their predicaments, harassment, oppression, exploitation inhumanity, unequal treatment and atrocities meted out to Dalits. They received exploitation and harassment from the propagators, protectors and custodians of caste based on hierarchal order of Indian society in which Dalits are at the lowest ebb of society.
Premchand, like other writers, is the child of contemporary socio-economic, socio-religious and socio-cultural circumstances of the society. The profound influence of his family environment, Arya Samaj, Gandhism and Ambedkarism can be perceived on his ideology. As a progressive, rational and realistic author, he exposed the prevailing social and religious evils, customs and traditions on the basis of which the poor people, especially Dalit, were befooled and exploited by Brahmins and Feudal Lords or Zamnidars.
Because of the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and his call to boycott the British institutions during Non-Cooperation Movement, Premchand resigned from the post of School Inspector and proved his credentials as a strong nationalist and freedom fighter. After the resignation, he shifted to writing as a full-fledged profession and devoted rest of his life to creative and progressive literary productions. In brief, Premchand’s writings reflect mixture of ideology-principles of Arya Samaj, family circumstances, nationalism. Gandhism, Marxism and Ambedkarism so far the question of Dalits’ identity is concerned.
As a result of that, his writings clearly reflect humanitarianism, rationalism and realism as he firmly stood against exploitation and suppression of Dalits. He thoroughly exposed inherent contradiction of Feudal System-landlords, zamindars, talukdars, sarvents, police employees, urban middle-class corruption and, above all, Dalit issues.
As already stated, Premchand inked his ideas in Hindi and Urdu languages. He wrote 301 stories. Besides, he also wrote novels and fictional works. His first fictional work in Urdu, is Ashore Maadbid that won him the recognition of a celebrated author. His most important stories include The Thakur’s Well, Mandir, Sadgati, Shroud (Kafan), Mantra and Pus ki Raat. Among the most prominent novels written by Premchand are Rangbhoomi, Sewa Sadan, Karambhoomi, and Godan that bear the testimony to his scholarship as a creative writer.
The present chapter under review ‘Munshi Premchand’s Writings: An Embodiment of Ambedkar’s idea of Caste Discrimination’ written by Dinesh Kumar deals with his short stories, Mandir, Sadgati, Shroud (Kafan), Mantra, and The Thakur’s Well.
The short-story, Shroud (Kafan), revolves around two characters-Madhav (father) and Ghisu (son) who have been depicted lazy, indolent, work-shy and flagrant, writes Dinesh Kumar. This concept of Premchand has severely been criticised by many Dalit scholars and writers including Majumdar who writes that Ghisu and Madhav belong to ‘Chamar’(cobbler) community and have been projected as notorious. Quoting Majumdar, Dinesh Kumar says that “it was the community of cobblers and notorious in the whole village.”
In fact, Premchand fails to look into the concept of hierarchy based society and contemptuous outlook of upper caste Hindus. As a result, in the short story, Shroud (Kafan), like Godan, Munshi Premchand has failed to project the realistic picture of Dalit community.
It raises the question-if Ghisu and Madav were lazy and lethargic in the whole village, why a zamindar would like to engage them for agriculture work? It is because Premchand was the victim of feudal mentality prevailing in society. Though he was a progressive and rational author, but he failed to provide any solution to the problem of feudalism and Dalit issues.
Shivraj Singh Bechain finds this story, Kafan as “inhuman and far away from reality” and “completely an imaginative story to prove that the Dalits are humane…and the purpose of this story is to portray a totally distorted picture of Dalit community.” In the same vein, Kamal Bharti, another Dalit critic, says that “Kafan is anti-dalit story and the portrayal of both the characters in the story is insensitive and inhumane.”
Another short-story selected by Dinesh Kumar in this chapter is The Thakur’s Well that focuses readers’ attention on the age-old evil rampant in the society-prohibition of drawing water by Dalits from the well of upper caste people. In the short-story, Gangi is the main character-a Dalit lady who was prohibited to draw water from the Thakur’s well and she gives polluted and unhygienic water to her diseased husband, Jokhu to quench his thirst.
The present story is a powerful exploration of the idea how the students are beaten if they drink water from the common picture in schools. Even in the present century, they are not allowed to drink water from upper caste people’s well as it pollutes that water. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar launched the movement against the contemporary social evil and prohibition of the Dalits to draw water from the village common well.
This movement is generally known as Mahad Satyagraha or Chavdar Tale Satyagraha initiated by him on 20 March, 1927 so that the untouchables could get the right to drink water where ever they wanted publically. Mahad is a place now situated in Raigad district, Maharashtra. Every year, this day (20 March) is observed as Social Empowerment Day in India.
In another short-story, Sadgati, Premchand depicts conservative and orthodox outlook of upper caste Hindus. This story delineates how Brahmins exploit, harass and take undue advantage of Dalits. Premchand writes that Dukhi-a Dalit goes to Ghasiram- a Priest to get fixed a suitable auspicious date for the marriage of his daughter. Ghasiram crosses all limits of cruelty as he exploits Dukhi in a merciless manner. He is put to hard work even when he was suffering from fever.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar strongly rejects these religious and inhuman practices by the so called upper caste Hindus. It is really strange, but true that the more educated we are, the more orthodox we become. We fall prey to Brahmanism and its evil practices from womb to tomb. Throughout the whole life, the poor people are exploited by Babas and pujaris.
Dr. Ambedkar finds that the main reason behind it is that things that get religious sanction behind them, cannot be overthrown easily from the society. Behind the idea of caste system and untouchability, lies the religious support which is not easy to abolish.
Premchand, in his another short-story, Mantra deals with the conversion of Dalits to Islam and exposes the deep-rooted hypocrisy when an old Dalit says: “while leaving Hindu society, we cannot wipe out the this mark of untouchability from the forehead”, quotes Dinesh Kumar. It can be pointed out that during first half of the twentieth century, Sudhi’ and ‘Tabligi’ movements were started by reactionary and conservative organizations in India.
More than one dozen princely states enacted laws to preserve the Hindu identity in the face of Christian missionaries also. It is really strange even in the twenty-first century that some of BJP states have enacted laws again against forced conversion. The issue of conversion of Dalit castes to Buddhism or Christianity is exposed by newspapers also.
Dinesh Kumar has delineated very vividly and graphically another social abuse prevalent in Indian society through the short-story, Mandir. The author says that the untouchables are not allowed to enter the temples as it violates the sanctity of these places. This is what the readers find as the central concern in the short-story, Mandir.
The present short-story revolves around the wretched conditions of Dalit people as they are the victims of conservative and orthodox outlook imposed upon them by Brahmins since centuries. Following these traditional beliefs how Sukhiya and her son die, is the crux of the present work by Premchand.
Sukhiya is not allowed to cross the threshold of temple for it will pollute this religious place. Jiyavan, Sukhiya’s son, revolts against age-old customs and he is punished very severely for this act. When Sukhiya’s seeks divine help from the temple when her son is seriously ill, the upper caste Hindus forbade her to enter and beaten mercilessly by them, she met her tragic end. Even oday, Dalits are prohibited from entering the religious places and perform puja as is evident through some newspapers also.
Dr. Ambedkar started a movement which is known as ‘The Temple Entry Movement’ in 1927. The main purpose behind this was to give right of entering the temples to Dalits and untouchable. It was a successful one as the lower caste people were allowed to enter temples and also to use and draw water from temple wells.
In brief, the thrust areas of Dalit literature are wide. It is difficult to agree with the certain critics of Premchand like Dr. Dharmveer Bharati who called Premchand ‘Samant ka Munshi’ and ‘a blue eyed person.’ He even characterizes ‘Jar Karam’ of Budhiya’s wife having the child of Thakur in her womb.
It can be suggested that confining Dalit literature to Dalit castes is against the ideology of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar because his concept of Dalit, as already stated, includes subaltern sections of society including Dalits and non-Dalits from local to global level. The Dalit writers must follow broad concept-women, marginalized farmers, farm labourers and the exploited throughout the whole world.
The Dalits would have to wipe out intolerant and intended contradiction of time and space. In the present scenario, these concepts should be ‘World without Boundaries’ because if a black American is attacked, it becomes the subject of criticism throughout the whole world.
Ambedkar worked relentlessly for the upliftment of Dalits or untouchables as he believed in humanity which was totally absent in the lives of untouchables. This has been reflected by Anand in the novel, Untouchable, through the incident when during a hockey match a child is injured and, Bakha by showing humanity, takes the child in his house where the mother of his child accuses Bakha of defiling and polluting her house instead of appreciating is humane gestures. Ambedkar does not appreciate this type of behaviour towards the untouchables as they are taken for granted only.
I congratulate Dinesh Kumar for his hard work to write such an excellent work of art. The present book is perhaps the pioneered work in North India, especially in Haryana state in which Dinesh Kumar has analysed different aspects of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s ideology in a very systematic and scientific manner. How he has traced historical aspects in an excellent manner is really praiseworthy.
I know Dinesh Kumar for the last 17 years when he was appointed as a lecturer in English in 2006, he was an ordinary teacher. I am really proud of his excellence in the field of English literature and language. He is a popular face in seminars, conferences, workshops and webinars. As a result, he has emerged as a good teacher, writer and a scholar of repute in India and abroad.
I hope that the present book will prove fruitful and helpful to students, teachers and research scholars as well as general public to know in details the impact of ‘Ambedkarism’ or vision of Ambedkar on English literature written in different languages-Hindi, English, Marathi, Gujrati, Telugu, Kannad, Malyalam, Tamil and other languages. The issue of Dalits can be resolved only by being vigilant in their lives regarding their rights.
It seems to be difficult to annihilate caste, but the evils of the system can be minimized if not eradicated. For this, the motto ‘educate, agitate and organize’ coined by Dr. Ambedkar is most important principle having its relevance even in present scenario also.
The Dalits would have to wipe out intolerant and intended contradiction of time and space. In the present scenario, these concepts should be ‘World without Boundaries’ because if a black American is attacked, it becomes the subject of criticism throughout the whole world.
