B.R AMBEDKAR

Dr. B.R. AMBEDKAR SIGNED POONA PACT WITH GANDHIJI IN 1932 WHERE DALITS WERE GIVEN RESERVED SEATS FROM WITHIN THE GENERAL HINDU CATEGORY. IN 1936 HE FORMED INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY AND IN 1942 HE FORMED SCHEDULE CASTE FEDERATION. IN 1956 AMBEDKAR ORGANISED THE ALL INDIA SCHEDULE CASTES FEDERATION AND WAS ALSO THE SOURCE BEHIND THE FORMATION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE MAIN DEMAND OF THE DALIT ORGANISATIONS BEFORE INDEPENDENCE WERE FREEDOM FROM BEGAR OR CASTE SPECIFIC IMPOSED LABOUR,GRANT OF FOREST OR WASTELAND FOR CULTIVATION AND THE REMOVAL OF LEGAL DISABILITIES FROM OWING SUCH LANDS AS IN PUNJAB LAND ALIENATION ACT 1900,WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE S.C’S AMOMG AGRICULTURISTS CASTES.

B.R AMBEDKAR WAS THE GREAT HARIJAN LEADER.IN 1917 HE MADE A STRONG PLEA FOR DISTRICT REPRESENTATION OF THE DEPRESSED CLASS IN BOMBAY LEGISLATURE IN PROPORTION TO THE POLULATION THROUGH A SEPARATE ELECTORATE BEFORE THE FRANCHISE COMMITTEE. HE WANTED THE SOCIAL,POLITICAL AND THE ECONOMIC UPLIFTMENT OF THE SOCIETY.

IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES, ANEW TREND OF RADICAL POLITICS IN THE FORM OF DALIT PANTHERS EMERGED IN MAHARASHTRA.DALIT PANTHERS LEANED IDEOLOGICALLY ON AMBEDKAR’S THOUGHT AND HAD THEIR BASE MAINLY AMONG YOUTH AND STUDENTS IN URBAN CENTRES. IN 1990 PRAKASH AMBEDKAR MADE AN EFFORT TO UNITE ALL THE DALIT ORGANISATIONS FOR CONTESTING THE MAHARASHTRA STATE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AND A HUGE MORCHA OF 50,000 PEOPLE WAS ORGANISEDIN BOMBAY. IN THE 1980’s A NEW PARTY KNOWN AS THE BAHUJAN SAMAJ PARTY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF KANSHI RAM AND LATER MAYAWATI EMERGED IN U.P,M.P AND PUNJAB. A MARKED FEATUER OF ITS PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN A STRIDENT AND OFTEN ABUSIVE STANCE TOWARDS UPPER CASTES IN GENERAL,THROUGH PROXIMITY TO POWER APPEARS TO BE ALREADY EXERCISING ITS MELLOWING EFFECT.

DALIT YOUTHS IN THE RURAL AREAS HAVE ORGANISED AMBEDKAR’S ANGHAMS.IN URBAN AREAS STUDENTS,TEACHERS,YOUTH AND OFFICE WORKERS HAVE BEEN ORGANISED INTO ASSOCIATIONS. THE RESULT OF ALL THIS IS THAT THE CONSTITUTION EXTENDED POLITICAL RIGHTS TO ALL CITIZENS IRRESPECTIVE OF RELIGION,CASTE,CREED,SEX,LANGUAGE,R ACE AND THIS INCLUDES SCHEDULE CASTES.