Vol. 17, Part I · pages 51–55

26 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The whole Conference converted itself into Subjects Commitee when Dr. Ambedkar reviewed the whole situation and advised the delegates to embark on Satyagraha against the Civil Court’s injunction provided the delegates were prepared for the consequences of their action and to undergo imprisonment and other sufferings in a cheerful and voluntary manner. The sense of the Conference was strongly in favour of the advice to embark on Satyagraha immediately and the President had difficulty in getting a hearing for any speaker who was for postponement of Satyagraha. More Than 3,000 Volunteers Sign Pledge Dr. Ambedkar then suggested that to gauge correctly the intensity of feeling, those delegates who were in favour of Satyagraha should be asked to give their consent in writing for practicising Satyagraha. Accordingly, the registration of delegates willing to practice Satyagraha was commenced and within one hour, 3,884 delegates had registered their names as ready to offer Satyagraha. The Collector was informed that the Conference was in favour of Satyagraha on hearing which the Collector expressed a desire to address the Conference personally. Collector Addresses Conference The Satyagraha Conference assembled at 5-30 p.m. when Mr. Hood, the Collector, accompanied by the Superintendent of Police attended the Conference. The Collector addressed the meeting in Marathi. Mr. Hood said : “I know why you have all gathered in this Conference. I know also that if I advised you to defer Satyagraha you would all very much regret it as you have been preparing for this for the last three months. You all, however, know that the Bombay Legislative Council has passed a resolution to the effect that the “Depressed” Classes be admitted to the public tanks and schools and that the Bombay Government have instructed accordingly and have also advised the Local Board to do the same. The Government are quite willing, Mr. Hood said to admit them to the tank but 10 days ago there has taken place a new development. The touchables have filed a suit against the “Untouchables” contending that the tank was a private one and a temporary injunction has been granted in their favour.

27MAHAD SATYAGRAHA “I am speaking to you as the Collector of the district and I wish to assure you on behalf of the Government that the Government are on the side of “Untouchables” and to tell you that the Government and I, are your friends. I regret very much to see that some of you intend to offer Satyagraha by disobeying the order of the court. This action, I consider, will be very harmful, I advise you to prepare your case and fight it constitutionally and legally. I sincerely hope that the decision may be in your favour.” Mr. Jawalkar who had come in the morning said he had come to the Conference to deliver the message of the NonBrahmin party namely that the “Untouchables” should obey the injunction of the court and offer Satyagraha after the decision of the court. Subhedar Ghatge and other speakers said they had come there to offer Satyagraha against the touchables and not against the Government.” 1 “The Collector was then led by Dr. Ambedkar out of the pandal. Till seven in the evening, speaker after speaker supported the launching of Satyagraha, and those who uttered discordant notes were booed and heckled. Dr. Ambedkar again adjourned the discussion till the next morning. At night the chief men gathered together, held discussions and decided to postpone the struggle in view of the case pending before the court, but it was also decided to march in procession winding its course around the tank. Accordingly, this decision was notified to the District Magistrate. On the morning of December 27, Dr. Ambedkar rose to withdraw the first resolution on the struggle and to move another resolution amidst breathless silence, asking the Conference to postpone the struggle. He was on the horns of a dilemma. It was now the psychological moment to curb the enthusiasm of the delegates and pin it down. He tactfully began to deal with the critical situation. He said in an appealing tone to the delegates, who had by now grown restless and frantic : “You are a brave people. The people who are prepared to lay down their lives for the vindication of their just rights are sure to prosper. But the 1 : The Indian National Herald, dated 31st December 1927.

28 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES moment now has come when you should think twice before you strike the blow. You know well that the Satyagraha movement started by Gandhi,” he proceeded, “ was backed up by the people as it was against a foreign domination. Our struggle is against the mass of Caste Hindus and naturally we have little support from outside. Taking these facts into consideration. I feel, we should not antagonise the Government and put it on the side of our opposition. It is not beneficial either.” “Do not suppose,” asserted the leader, “that if you postpone the issue humiliation will be its concomitant. As regards my position, I assure you I am prepared to face the three-fold danger-breaking of an order, being charged with a breach of rules governing the conduct of a lawyer and the possibility of imprisonment. My brothers,” he sofetly concluded, “you rest assured that a postponement of this struggle will not mean that we have given up the struggle. The fight will go on till we establish our claims to this Tank.” l Satyagraha postponed As a result of deliberations, the following resolution was adopted :— ‘Taking into consideration the fact that the touchable classes of Mahad by obtaining a temporary injunction from the Civil Court at the last hour against the “Depressed” Classes bring them into conflict with the Government which had yesterday morning resolved to offer Satyagraha have after listening to the Collector and after taking into consideration the assurance given by him in the open Conference that the Government have every sympathy for the Depressed Classes in the struggle for equal rights resolved that Satyagraha be postponed till the decision of the Civil Court.” 2 1 : Keer, Pp. 102-103. 2 : The Indian National Herald, dated 31st December 1927.

29MAHAD SATYAGRAHA “The Conference agreed. The delegates immediatly formed themselves into a procession and started volunteers with slogans, boards and placards were pacing slowly. The procession reached the Tank and took its round. And what were the Caste Hindus doing ? The streets were deserted. They had shut their houses and the Orthodox Hindus were wriggling with excruciating venom in their hearts. After one hour and a half, the procession returned to the pandal about noon without any mishap.” 1 “DR. AMBEDKAR AT RAIGARH “Untouchables” Bathe in Ganga Sagar Tank A correspondent writing under date January 5 in “Kolaba-Samachar of Pen, says” After the conclusion of the Satyagraha Conference Dr. Ambedkar proceeded to Raigarh, the famous fortress and the capital of Shivaji, in company of about a hundred Untouchables. He encamped in the Raigarh Dharmashala and the watchmen of that place, one Yesu Shedge, a Mahratta by caste and maintained by the Dharmashala Committee, looked after the requirements of the visitors. He asked them not to touch the waters of the Gangasagar Tank. He suggested that if they wanted to take bath, they could do so in another tank nearby, specially built for the Untouchables. Dr. Ambedkar and others, however, “defiled” the waters of the “ Gangasagar.” The correspondent adds that this has led to great excitement among the Mahrattas of the Raigarh valley, most of whom are sepoys in the army, the valley being a good recruiting field.” 2 Comments “Commenting editorially on this episode, “Kolaba-Samachar” in its issue for January 7 refers to the methods followed by Dr. Ambedkar pointing to a suggestion made in its columns that Government should see its way to prosecute Dr. Ambedkar and his followers. The paper sets its face against the suggestions on the ground that Indians must do as much as possible to settle their own quarrels and should never invite Government of their own accord, to interferes.” 3 1 : Keer P. 104. 2 : The Bombay Chronicle dated 12th January 1928. 3 : Kolaba-Samachar, dated 7th January 1928.

30 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES “Maharashtra’s Mind For some weeks past Dr. Ambedkar and the Satyagraha Conference of Untouchables at Mahad have been the subject of much adverse comment not only in the Orthodox Hindu Press but also in journals that are definitely committed to the removal of Untouchability. Most of the Marathi journals came under the second variety and may generally speaking be divided into three classes, viz, N. C. O., Responsivist and Non-Brahman. The principal points that these journals make in their attacks against Dr. Ambedkar and his friends are (1) his alleged excess of burning the Manusmriti, and (2) his alleged acquiescence in the Kolaba Collector’s order to stop Satyagraha. In the whole controversy there are many other charges and countercharges made against either party, but they are not very material. Dr. Ambedkar has now published in “ Bahishkrit-Bharat” quite a lengthy account of the Conference and met the charges made against him. He does not fight shy of the first accusation against him and defends it by saying that in as much Manusmriti ordains and sanctifies the age-long oppression and exploitation of the Untouchable Hindus by the socalled High-Class Hindus, this main source of present day Hindu law deserves to be burnt. While meeting the second charge, Dr. Ambedkar takes the wind out of the sails of his opponents when he states that no gagging order was ever passed against and therefore there never arose any question of disobeying it. All that he did, he was pursuaded to postpone the Satyagraha to a later day by the Collector of Kolaba and he did entirely in the interests of the Satyagrahis and the Untouchables. He leaves perfect liberty to his critics to say anything against him on this distinct ground.” 1 “ The case, Hindu versus Untouchables regarding ownership of Chawdar Tank was fixed for hearing on 12th January 1928 in the Court of Second Class SubJudge; Mahad. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar started preparation for pleading the case. He wrote a letter on 24th January 1928 to Advocate Markand Dattatraya Vaidya to 1 : The Bombay Chronicle, dated 27th February 1928.