The Perils of Reform
What Substantial Work?
The Anti-Untouchability Sub-Committee of the Indian National Congress has issued a message to the Associated Press, where it has very cleverly stated, that “in spite of the fact that a good deal of substantial work has been done during recent years, much remains yet to be done for the removal of the disabilities of the so called untouchables”. We know the Indian National Congress, in its untiring work for these forty years and more, has done a substantial work in removing the untouchability, that the very pillars of the Congress Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Lala Lajapatrai have been refused admission in the temples of the South. As if they do not care the expulsion from the temples, both of them have treated the matter as a very insignificant one. There is no stop in the punishment in all the temple entry cases. And there is the Congress with its record of substantial work, to be written in golden letters in the pages of Indian History. The Sub-committee has now descended from the heavens with its “effective steps” and peaceful means. Both these phrases, we know, are as compatible with each other as the terms, “Complete Independence” and “Oath of Loyalty”.
Revolt , 5 June 1929
Broom and the Bucket? (by Karamchand Mohana Balan)
The amelioration of the status of the so called untouchables is undoubtedly one of greatest, if not the greatest of the social problems of modern India. And it greatly redounds to the credit and honour of the Indians that this problem has been of late boldly tackled and perseverently solved by patriotic and earnest people one and all. The economic, social political and religious advancement of these helpless and ‘suppressed’ classes constitutes not the least important plank in the programmes of political organisations in our country worth the name. Not only must these hapless victims of our heinous social system helped out of the miserable slough into which they had been cast from time immemorial but also that golden slogan of the true democrat “equal opportunity for all” must be vigorously translated into practice by throwing open to them all the avenues of prosperity in the land. In short these untouchables must not be either directly or indirectly confined exclusively to their time worn and traditional vocations of manual services but must be freely allowed and encouraged to get all the educational facilities such as are enjoyed today by their more fortunate brethren and thus enter into and cooperate for such posts and places in the administration of the country as they had been till now not even suffered to so much as dream of. This is the ardent wish of all real democrats and that state alone would be worth name of ‘democracy’ in which is possible such a treatment to these people.
But meanwhile, we have been favored with a masterly enunciation of a political philosophy by an individual who calls himself “P” in an article entitled “Pictures from Andhra” in the issue of July 4th of ‘Young India’. This writer assigns quite a different kind of status and duty to the Panchamas in the glorious Government of Swaraj in which perhaps the new Arthasastra of the modern Kauthilya or the “Neethi” of this modern Manu would be the gospel. His article is worth being perused by every progressive minded Indian and earnest democrat.
Being consulted by a Panchama youth, whether or not he should follow the advice of a certain Panchama M.L.C. who advocates separation of their community from the Hindus, this eminent writer is said to have given him the following advice: “By all means follow their advice but do not trust anyone however big he may be if he is ashamed to handle the broom and the bucket side by side with you. A person who is ashamed of his forefathers cannot be expected to be faithful to his country or to his community”. A noble and magnanimous advice indeed! How I wish that every patriotic son of Mother India patiently and fervently adhered to the traditional profession of his forefathers which was at first ordained by the illustrious predecessor of this eminent writer, that great Manu, the Law – giver of Ancient India. But alas! The impatient youth could not comprehend the soundness, the sincerity and the sublimity of such an earnest advice as this! His inborn selfishness and burning ambition and his irresistible and natural love for his community impelled him to question this august counsel of his, if he sought “to deny them all scope for development and expansion by tying them down to their manual work.”
Far from it. Poor youth! How on earth could that be? Instantly shot forth this studied reply from the venerable follower of Gandhiji: “There is no slur implied. It is only a question of reassessment of values. What I am telling you is not my advice but Gandhiji’s than whom the Panchamas have got no truer friend. What he wants is not to put a check on your progress but rather to see you rise to the full height of your being. And this you can do not by looking down upon your profession which is one of the noblest but to realise its full responsibilities.”
It will be patent to our readers beyond a shadow of doubt that the great principle underlying this noble advice is that pernicious Varnashrama dharma, to the perpetual and predominant reign of which is attributable all that is abominable and unjust amidst us, and sure and inevitable decay of which has already begun to liberate millions of people from and inextricable and eternal bondage and fetter.
Before enquiring into the views of Mahatma Gandhi on the main question of the separation of the Panchamas from the Hindus, let us examine a little the superb words of wisdom that dropped from the lips of “P”. What are the words? “Rise to the full heights of your beings” Yes, And how? Why – by the unquestioning adoption of that “noblest of professions” of handling “the buckets and the broom”! Oh! Ye, the miserable mortals of this mundane world, who fervently hunt after the lurid positions and lucrative posts in the State in the vain and futile expectation of reaching “the full heights of your beings” – stand a while and seriously take this advice to your hearts ! Better leave all those posts to self-sacrificing and selfless men of “P”s ilk and immediately take to the sublimating profession of the ‘bucket and the broom’. Here is the easy and “primrose path to the eternal bonfire” – to immortality and salvation.
The absurdity of such an advice lies on its very surface. If this advice does not seek to preach that fatal “Dharma” of Varnashrama, though in a rather veiled way, pray then what is it? Does this principle which “cribbs, cabins and confines” a certain class of people eternally to their fathers’ profession, accord with the practice obtaining in the model democracies of the modern countries in the West? If a man were to be confined to the bucket and the broom not because he has got a particular liking for it, not because it is of his own choosing, but simply because his forefathers had happened to be following it, how on earth can he rise to the full height of his being, passes one’s comprehension. Is this giving him full opportunity? One has only to contrast this state of affairs with that in the West to be struck with the utterly shameful position of Mr. “P”. The late revered G.K. Gokhale in one of his lectures, while dwelling on this point i.e. the denial of opportunities to the untouchables, most picturesquely contrasts the state of affairs obtaining in England and in India respectively. He cites the case of Joseph Chamberlain, the great statesman of the last century and the worthy father of Sir Austin, who had been at first a shoe-maker and then a screw maker but who afterwards attained to the highest of honour in Great Britain and then indignantly asks, “Will a shoe-maker ever be able to rise in India in the social scale in a similar fashion, no matter how gifted by nature he might be?” President Hoover, Mr. Baldwin, and also the present Labour Premier Mr. Ramsay Macdonald are only a few amongst a thousand of such men as have from the lowest rungs of the ladder of society managed to climb to and fitly occupy the highest places in their countries – all due to the really democratic nature of their governments. But is such a possibility even conceivable in Mr. ‘P’s Swaraj? And yet our future Swaraj will be a full fledged democracy!
The Nehru Report, however, which is the handwork of true and broad minded patriots differs from such ‘reactionary extremists’ like our ‘P’ for its sincerity is evidenced by its unmistakable advocacy of adult suffrage and its clear emphasis on the principle of equal opportunities to all without the distinction of caste, colour or creed.
Now to come to the views of Gandhiji himself on the Panchamas and their profession: It is quite clear that he and his words and more so his acts do not in the least lend their authority to the views of “P”, who curiously enough poses himself as the accredited exponent of the farmer’s principles! Elsewhere says Gandhiji most fervently: “Would that god give us the strength and the wisdom to become voluntary scavengers of the nation as the ‘suppressed classes’ are forced to be”. It may be true that Gandhiji himself considers their profession as ‘the noblest’. Hence it was perhaps that he lately in the course of a lecture exhorted the audience to follow his own example of cleansing his own latrine. Here again enters another difficulty. For ‘P’ complains later on in the same article “the anarchy of competitions pervades every sphere of society and hence are the panchamas kept out of their own”. But now suppose that every one amongst us were to seriously decide to follow the example of Gandhiji from today onwards where, I ask, would be the born Panchamas? Poor Mr. P. has got no other reply than these contradictory and meaningless words: “In a well–ordered state, under Swaraj of Gandhiji’s dream, no one would encroach upon another’s sphere of duties.” I heartily wish it were possible !
Lastly, what is really the opinion of Gandhiji on the point over which the unfortunate youth sought the valuable advice of “P” and by way of reply to which he was favored and indulged with this soul killing answer? This question of the separation of the Panchamas from the Hindus is in fact neither new nor novel except that it provokes the ire of the venomous cobra of the Varnashramite, which starts and stings furiously and vomits its contagious poison. Above all, this suggestion seems to point to the only rational path open to the sixty-two millions of downtrodden souls. It appeals to any one with a heart to feel and a mind to think. And so has it, in fact appealed to Gandhiji himself, “than whom” in the words of our “P”, “the Panchamas have no truer friend”. For it is one of the three ways open to them according to Gandhiji himself. Says he, “therefore, by way of protest against Hinduism, Panchamas can certainly stop all contact and connection with the other Hindus so long as special grievances are maintained”. “But”, continues he and qualifies this statement by a proviso, “this means organized intelligent effort. And so far I can see there is no leader among the Panchamas who can lead them to victory through non-co-operation.” But the latter part of the statement seems not to be borne by facts, for, we have since its writing seen too many battles fought and won by the Panchamas under the lead of mighty Marshals of impregnable strength to be yet laboring under the delusion that there is a dearth of leaders. If, therefore the caste Hindus and the custodians of Hinduism were still to attempt a systematic and sedulous grinding and oppression, the day when these drawers of water and hewers of wood would secede from the rest and organise themselves into the most powerful community will not be far off. For what is the earthly or Heavenly use of a religion which shuts the portals of its temples to its own followers, which denies privileges on earth and deprives bliss in Heaven and what for should the ‘untouchables’ call those people their brothers who at once curb their spirits and kill their souls? Therefore, if tomorrow, what with their own ceaseless efforts and the wholehearted support of pure minded patriots, the Panchamas should become (and who doubts it) the handlers of the sword and the sceptre instead of the handlers of the bucket and the broom, little need our ‘P’ be surprised and chagrined.
Revolt, 11 August 1929
Leaders! What have you done? (By Mr. Bhagat Ram)
It is a well known fact that the high caste Hindus in general have for centuries been oppressing, maltreating and showing utter lack of sympathy for the lower classes. However, some of the high caste men are now beginning to publish articles in their newspapers showing some interest in the depressed classes. These articles are mostly written to assure the outside world that the higher classes are now really taking a great interest in uplifting the depressed classes and freeing them from their centuries of bondage. But in reality, there being little of truth in such articles, they do not help the down trodden millions. They simply aid in establishing more powerfully the rule of the upper classes. Instead of seeking to remove the real handicaps, and correcting the evils still prevalent and instead of establishing primary schools for the lower classes, the attempt is now being made chiefly to number all the depressed classes as Hindus. In view of the Census to be made next year, most of the Hindu leaders are making an effort to have Sweepers, Chamars and other depressed classes not enroll themselves as such but only under the general name of ‘Hindus’.
Let us have a glance at some of the things the great Hindu leaders amongst the Congressmen are doing now for the depressed classes. In most of the Congress publications and in the Nehru Report it was asserted that already a great deal has been done for the untouchables. However, in spite of such claims, what do we see to be the actual facts and conditions? We see that millions of rupees are being spent on high schools and Universities which are chiefly meant for the higher classes; while the primary education of the vast bulk of the poor, depressed classes has not received the attention it deserves. Instead of helping us they are often found to oppose even the Primary education for the lower classes. Many Hindus of great influence go even so far in their opposition as to speak to some District inspectors of schools to do all they can to hinder the primary education of the lower classes, saying that if these depressed children become educated, what will become of the children of the high classes?
In the present day schools which are almost everywhere so monopolized by the high caste people, we find the actual facts to be that the lower classes cannot get an education along with the far advanced as well as often aggressive children of the higher classes. So we pray for a separate arrangement of schools for the education of our low classes, as far as Primary education is concerned.
It is true that large sums of money were gathered in the name of Shuddhi or reclamation by many a Hindu leader; but, in fact a large proportion of this money was consumed by the high caste workers employed to carry on such propaganda. But for the intellectual and social uplift of the depressed classes, hardly one thousandth part was spent. Their aim seems not to be the education or betterment of the poor, but rather to add to their numerical strength. Some leaders would teach the Namo-Narain text, so that untouchables can repeat it, nothing more. Others would give the sacred thread to the Shudras so as to convert them into Aryas; thus making a display for a time, then nothing more. What good does it do to the depressed classes to put the so-called sacred thread around their shoulders? For, as long as the law of Manu Smriti is enforced, caste evils will remain. The meaningless rights given us today by one leader in a certain place, may be suddenly snatched away tomorrow by another, at the very same place.
Besides, millions of rupees have been gathered in the name of national causes, but lavished largely on more temporal things, on empty shows on the aggrandizement of the higher castes, on loud boastings of Hindu Spirituality before foreigners, or on Congress propaganda here and abroad; whilst millions of souls, made in the image of God, are perishing, driven by conditions pitiable, preventable to sufferings. Sometimes our hearts cry out why we have been placed among the Hindus.
If the Indian leaders really feel any sympathy for the sufferings of the lower classes one of their foremost duties is simply to lend a helping hand of fellowship in providing for the primary education of the poor masses. For, it is chiefly through education that a great door of hope will be opened for the uplift of the depressed classes.
Again, public tanks and wells are often closed for the ‘untouchables’, owing to the deep rooted prejudice of the high castes. High caste Hindu reformers themselves being self-satisfied, are mostly sympathizers in the abstract; but they are generally opposed to any concrete action in the needed reform of the Hindu Law which is largely based on Manu Smriti the primal source of our wrongs and sufferings.
Whatever troubles have been and are still being, borne by us are to a great extent from the three high castes and for them we have been engaged in such menial service. In spite of all that we have been very often exploited in every way and in every walk of life. By this we only mean that broad-minded philanthropists altogether freed from caste and sex prejudices and altruistic individuals are rare in this dark land of ours. In fact, Hindu traditions have added more to the miseries of the world than to its happiness.
So here depressed humanity from its condition of abject misery and woe, cries to us for sympathy and it should strongly appeal to our humane instincts and call forth the beauty of the shepherd’s character latent in us all. Yet how many feel there is something inconsistent and unreal in our attitude toward the poor masses.
Whatever a few advantages have accrued to us in the recent past, have not come from the efforts and sympathetic interest of the high castes; but partly from the result of the impartial British Administration and partly from the love and sympathy of some Christ-like Missionaries to whom we and our children shall always be grateful.
Revolt, 29 September 1929
Independence and Touchability
The 31st night of December 1929 will see the declaration of Complete Independence, at Lahore which august event will be preceded by the declaration of wholesale “extinction of untouchability” on the day of Karthika Ekadeshi at Bombay. The leaders who have issued the appeal seem to be convinced of the futility of the “spasmodic attempts” made now and then to solve the question of untouchability. They have therefore appointed the above day for the complete and eternal removal of the curse of untouchability. They desire that from that day onwards, “all those depressed Hindu classes who have hitherto been termed as “untouchables” and kept at a distance should be readmitted into the social fold and allowed to share the common benefits of free association and intercourse in all outdoor dealings, in all public places and on all public occasions, fairs, festivals, processions, meetings etc., including temples of gods which should be considered as the last place for any distinction between man and man.” This reads quite good as a proclamation from His Majesty but the spirit of it seems to be otherwise. This is as wiser as to proclaim that “on the night of 31st December 1929 all European officials who are not either born in India or are not the citizens of Mother India should unconditionally resign their respective posts.”
We doubt very much the seriousness of those who have issued this appeal for it is amusing that the leaders have not understood wherein the difficulties for solving the problem lie. The question is not the want of a particular day, but the methods to be adopted in order to bring it into execution. Is it by observing Satyagraha for which the so-called high class Hindus is not ready to take the initiative. We wait for a definite answer.
Revolt, 3 November 1929
