Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is considered a hero by millions of India's oppressed OBCs (Other Backward Castes or ‘lowered castes’) and Dalits. He was India's 20th century crusader against the caste system. He was a statesman, national leader, and the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
Dr. Ambedkar's thoughts and writings still have significant influence on the masses of Indians working to free themselves from Brahmanism (the caste system, as validated by the religion called Hinduism). Following are just a few quotes from literally thousands of pages of Ambedkar speeches and writings. Speaking about the coming Indian independence from Great Britain, Ambedkar stated, "…we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality, and in social and economic life we will have inequality. In politics we will be recognizing the principle of one-man one vote and one vote one value. In our social and economic life, we shall by reason of our social and economic structure continue to deny the principle of one-man one value. How long shall we continue to live this life of contradictions? How long shall we continue to deny equality in our social and economic life? If we continue to deny it for long, we will do so only by putting our political democracy in peril." (p.295) "…whether conversion can solve the problem of untouchability. The answer to that question is emphatically in the affirmative." (p.87) "Hinduism is a religion which is not founded on morality. Whatever morality Hinduism has, it is not an integral part of it." (p.257) "I do not want to be misunderstood when I say that Brahmanism is an enemy which must be dealt with. By Brahmanism, I do not mean the power, privileges and interests of the Brahmins as a community. That is not the sense in which I am using the word. By Brahmanism, I mean the negation of the spirit of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In that sense, it is rampant in all classes and is not confined to the Brahmins alone, though they have been the originators of it." (p.88) "Hinduism is not interested in the common man. Hinduism is not interested in society as a whole. The center of interest lies in a class, and its philosophy is concerned in sustaining and supporting the rights of that class. That is why in the philosophy of Hinduism, the interests of the common man as well as of society are denied, suppressed, and sacrificed to the interest of this class of Supermen (Brahmin)." (p. 258) "…there can be no doubt that caste is one and an essential and integral part of Hinduism…A Hindu is as much born into caste as he is born in Hinduism. Indeed a person cannot be born in Hinduism unless he is born in caste. Caste and Hinduism are inseparable." (p.259) "The record of the Brahmins as law givers for the Shudras (OBC's), for the Untouchables (Dalits) and for women is the blackest as compared with the record of the intellectual classes in other parts of the world. For no intellectual class has prostituted its intelligence to invent a philosophy to keep its uneducated countrymen in a perpetual state of ignorance and poverty as the Brahmins have done in India." (p.259) Despite recent news telling us that India is surging forward in mordernization and in economic and social gains, the current growth trends are touching, at most, fifteen percent of the Indian population. The vast majority of India remains unaffected by the current growth trends. These masses will continue to remain unaffected until the Kingdom of God comes and brings opportunity to the Indian majority (OBCs and Dalits). All quotations are taken from _Thoughts of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar_. Ed. Y.D. Sontakke. (c) 2004: Samyak Prakashan.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Mohandas Gandhi launched a policy of nonviolent noncooperation against the British following the Massacre at Amritsar in 1919 (Boss, 2012). He used his moral outrage guided by reason to effect change in the cultural norms of India and ultimately helped India gain independence in 1947. Gandhi’s efforts have greatly impacted social and political reform, and have influenced later civil rights movements.…
- 919 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Mahatma Gandhi, Indian nationalist, and the man credited with liberating India from British rule led a campaign of non-violent, civil disobedience that made the continued stay in the country by the British colonizers politically and morally untenable. Imprisoned by the British for fomenting unrest, Gandhi confronted the colonizers’ force of arms with the power of his ideas, and the rightness of his cause, and by his act of courageous disobedience prevailed gloriously over the British in the end. Today, India is a vibrant democracy of 1.2 billion people, free because of the disobedience of one frail, unprepossessing man, Mahatma Gandhi.…
- 802 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
As he was “fighting” freedom for his country from the British Empire, India was struggling with the discrimination that they own caste system infringed over the ones denominated “untouchables”, which showed Gandhi and his movement as a double standard revolution.…
- 1753 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
“Breaking News! Indian citizen Mohandas Gandhi is organizing a protest to reduce British taxes on salt, 36 years after he made a compromise with the South African government about Indian suffrage. This was accomplished by what Gandhi and what other Hinduist followers consider satyagraha; or civil disobedience.” I switched the small, tattered, black and white TV off. I was amazed how one leader could bring down a strong government with a big military force, just with civil disobedience. Ever since I was born, we were controlled over British colonial rule. My parents were forced to work as peasants, because all the high-paying jobs were taken by whites. Because of inaccessibility to medical assistance, my mom died. My father was so stricken with…
- 706 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The Indian caste system is harsh and oppressive, yet it has not always been that way, and policies have been implemented to end this intolerance. The caste system within India is a set of classes that is used to place people into occupational groups. It is a system followed by Hindus. The story of how it began states that the original five varnas were made from a primordial being, and each varna contains many castes and sub-castes, each of which has a specific job. The cast system of India had three stages; the early caste system, changes in the caste system, and today’s caste system. The solution to this intolerance will not be simple, but will hopefully help to one day allow India to escape the binding…
- 1578 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
Molly Suminski Honors Project: Caste System and Religious Implications The Caste System of Ancient India is a major pillar of Ancient Indian History. This social structure of class was formed by the religion, philosophy, racial demographics, and economic structure of the time. It’s roots are extensive, claiming grounds and validation in all aspects of life. mirroring it’s impactful origins, the effects of the Caste System are numerous and unavoidable.…
- 3022 Words
- 13 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The Caste System determines the wealth, power and privilege of all human beings. But aside from the belief in tradition and order the Caste System brings about inequality and injustice towards many of society. Members of the higher castes enjoy all kinds of privileges, whereas the lower caste of society are deprived of all privileges, more than 160 million people in India alone are considered "Untouchable.” Oppression plays a huge role during the early ages of the Caste System. The Untouchables were made to fear all those that dominated above them, they were treated inhumanely, Untouchables live in continual fear of being publicly humiliated, paraded naked, beaten, and raped by upper-caste Hindus in reassurance to keep them in place. They were deprived all choice of social, religious, economic, cultural and political rights and privileges. This is considered inequality as the Untouchables have done nothing to deserve such punishment. Walking through an upper-caste neighbourhood is a dangerous wrongdoing. During the beginning of the 1900’s was the time in which justice…
- 867 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
As I grew up I developed a tendency to free thinking unfettered by any superstitious allegiance to any isms, political or religious. That is why I worked actively for the eradication of untouchability and the caste system based on birth alone. I openly joined anti-caste movements and maintained that all Hindus are of equal status as to rights, social and religious, and should be considered high or low on merit alone and not through the accident of birth in a particular caste or profession. I used publicly to take part in organized anti-caste dinners which thousands…
- 2727 Words
- 11 Pages
Good Essays -
This primary source document was taken from the book “The Essential Gandhi.” It was written by Mahatma Gandhi himself, an Indian immigrant and activist who led the Indian movement to free India from British rule. He was able to accomplish this through nonviolent civil disobedience acts by himself and by others who followed him.…
- 317 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
There have been many individuals throughout history that have left an indelible impact on their people and the world, but few could rival the difference that Mohandas Gandhi made. Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in the British Common Wealth of India. He spent his youth witnessing the injustices that the English purveyed on the Indian people; something that eventually helped him to decide to become a barrister. Shortly after passing the bar, Gandhi was offered a case in South Africa that would require him to live in that country for about 1 year and he readily accepted. Once arriving in South Africa, he almost immediately experienced the prejudice that Indians living there had been enduring. The turning point for him came when he purchased a first class train ticket but was asked to move to the 3rd class coach, simply because he was Indian. When he quietly refused, he was physically thrown from the train. It was at that point that he decided to stay in South Africa to fight discrimination and what had been planned as a 1 year stay turned into 20 years. During that time he created, taught and practiced the concept of satyagraha, a non-violent way of protesting against injustices. (Rosenberg, n.d.) Gandhi believed that freedom could not be taken but must be given willingly and that this concept helped both the oppressor and the oppressed recognize the humanity in each other. The idea of satyagraha would be used by many great civil rights leaders as a way to advance their causes. Because of this, it remains Gahndhi’s greatest contribution to political change.…
- 1163 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
The gradual takeover by the British was not unnoticed by Mahatmas Gandhi. The Indian economy was suffering, and as Dr. Nanda Kishor argues, Gandhi was strongly motivated to free India from the unhealthy economy, and did so in a father-like manner. The BBC agree with argument, quoting: “…to be truly equal (with the British) the Indians would need independence from British rule.”…
- 1745 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
A short essay outlining the origin and meaning of the caste system in India along with a critique on Stalin K.’s film – “India Untouched”.…
- 1310 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
“The Doctor and the Saint” is Arundhati Roy’s introduction to Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste. This introduction allows the readers to understand the history that caused the production of the speech Annihilation of Caste, which was prepared by Ambedkar for The Annual Conference of the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal of Lahore, but never delivered due to the cancellation of the Conference by the Reception Committee. This reading is about the debate between two men, B.R. Ambedkar, a Dalit or Untouchable, and Mahatma Gandhi, a Vaishya born to a family of privileged caste Hindus. These two men had very different opinions and interests; however, they were still loved and praised by their followers. Dr. Ambedkar would always challenge Gandhi, not only politically, but morally as well. Gandhi was deified by…
- 952 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
I am neither a sociologist nor an anthropologist but a student of the human society and for being that I leave the choice to the readers that they can assign me under any terminological category as they wish. However, I must clarify what prompted me and compelled me to touch the issue of 'caste' although all my academic education were pertained to 'engineering and technology'. Much abler and more profound pens have analysed the issue of caste in the past without leaving any doubt over its genesis and mechanism. Of them, one can not point out anybody who had surpassed and bypassed the thesis of Dr. Ambedkar on caste. So do I too in this article as to whether his thesis on Annihilation of caste bears any relevance to and brings significant success along with if it is applied in today's environment. If it does what shall be the way forward ahead of his thesis in annihilating the caste and if it seeks modifications in line with the current situation what are such modifications required of it or if it does not what could serve as a realistic solution, all have been intended to explore in this article.…
- 8402 Words
- 34 Pages
Better Essays -
14 October 1956 holds a special significance for the Dalit community in India. On that day, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, by all accounts the most influential Dalit intellectual of the 20th century publicly renounced Hinduism and converted to Buddhism. He told it was his “rebirth” in his speech over there. Actually Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was born in 14th April 1891. He was born in lowly Mahar Caste in the western state of Maharashtra. The caste Mahara was untouchables according to the varn vyavasta. Mahar were generally village servant whose caste duties including cutting wood for cremation, removing dead cattle, washing wells, delivering massage over long distance among other things. As soon the British came and ruled the India they did not bother about the caste and for their better administration, they give equal opportunity to all People. Caste Mahar were chance to accept the new occupation. Dr. Ambedkar was born in one of the army soldier family.…
- 32195 Words
- 129 Pages
Good Essays