Vol. 17, Part I · pages 56–60

31MAHAD SATYAGRAHA obtain certain documents and also to attend the Court. He specifically asked Mr. Vaidya to obtain a copy of an affidavit filed by a Brahmin priest namely Mr. Pandurang Bhaskar Shashtri Palaye on 30th January 1928 in favour of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and other quoting the various quotations from the scriptures. The letter is as under : BHIMRAO R. AMBEDKAR Damodar Hall, Parel M. A., Ph. D., D. Sc, Bombay, 12 Bar-at-law 24-1-28 Member, Legislative Council. Bombay. My dear Vaidya, I am (in) receipt of your letter of the 12th. I notice that the Court is anxious to have the injunction order argued earlier i.e., before the 5th Feb. Well, I propose to come on Thursday the 2nd of Feb. to argue the matter. I am sending herewith forms of affidavits which you will please prepare in due form and have them declared in time. You may find some difficulty in getting a Mahomedan butcher (I must have a butcher) to make the affidavit. But if you will see the police Sub-Inspector of Mahad and request him on my behalf, I am sure he will oblige you a copy of an affidavit by a Brahmin priest supporting us which will be declared here. Give sufficient notice to the Defts, in time of the date and also give them copies of affidavits, so that they would have no cause for complaint. Give my regards to Surba. Let me have your reply by Monday the 30th of January at the latest, informing me if everything is ready for the 2nd of Feb. With my very best regards I am, Yours sincereley Sd/-B. R. Ambedkar” 1 1 : Khairmode, Vol. 3, Pp. 239, 244, 245.

32 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Following is the article by P. R. Lele about Mahad Satyagraha— “Untouchables will renew Satyagraha The Untouchable’s Satyagraha of the famous Chawdar Tank of Mahad had to suspend their Saryagraha in view of a temporary injunction granted by the Sub-Judge of Mahad restraining Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and others from taking water out of that tank. At that time i.e. December last they had to rest satisfied with holding a Conference and giving emphatic expression in several ways to their resentment against the tyranny of Caste-Hindus. The delegates and visitors of that Conference organised a huge procession and impressed their strength on the minds of the tyrants. Thereafter Dr. Ambedkar with a select party went round the Mahad Taluka and even to the Raigarh Fort. About his visit to Raigarh, I refrain from saying anything inasmuch as Dr. Ambedkar is contemplating or probably has started legal proceedings against certain papers which are alleged to have given misleading reports. The tour of this party created a sensation in Mahad Taluka, as a repercussion of which even Mussalmans of a certain villages in the vicinity certain papers who are alleged to have given misleading reports. Interim Injunction Dissolved Now the Sub-Judge of Mahad has dissolved the interim injunction. I have not got a copy of the judgement on the interlocutory notice but have definite information that it is a considered and pretty long one. The Judge has hinted that he was misled when he granted the interim injunction and has virtually expressed sorrow for having been instrumental to what may be called the continuation of an insult and a sore. More than this must not at this stage be said as the main case is still subjudice. For the time, however, this is a distinct victory of a just cause. The assertion of civil rights by the so-called Untouchables can now be made without involving the risk of being jammed in between the judiciary on the one side and the orthodoxy on the other.

33MAHAD SATYAGRAHA In the great Guruka Bagh struggle there was at least the wholehearted and unanimous sympathy of the public with the Sikh Satyagrahis. In the Mahad affair it was not so. The leaders of the Orthodox Hindus refused to listen to the words of advice of the bosses of Poona or even of the Hindu Sabhawalas. Those same leaders though discomfited and repulsed, would not take up a strong attitude in favour of the Mahar Satyagrahis when it came to the actual assertion of rights. What had to be postponed can now be taken up again. The Next Campaign And it is going to be taken up again, this time with far less risk and far greater chances of success. After the return of Dr. Ambedkar, who had been to Mahad for the case, after delivering his well-informed budget criticism, a public meeting was held in the Damodar Thakarsey Hall, Parel, on Sunday 26th instant. Dr. Ambedkar in a lucid speech explained the situation as it existed on that day and told his followers to consider the earliest date on which to launch the campaign again. The meeting was attended by more than a thousand members of the Depressed Classes. The hall was packed and on the dais were a few Caste-Hindu Friends of the so-called Untouchables besides a majority of prominent members of the latter classes. The majority of speeches were by these and were full of sincerity and devotion to their leader Dr. Ambedkar. One of the speakers spoke with the greatest impression because he was amongst those who were assaulted by Caste-Hindus sometime in March last when the first attempt was made to take water from the now famous tank. At that time it was recklessly circulated that hides were washed in the tank and this assaulted gentleman being a cobbler by caste the story was taken up and a wanton assault was perpetrated on him. As another speaker explained water was actually drawn by him and the assault went vicariously to that other gentleman, whose name is Rajbhoj and who was humourously called Bhoj Raja. One could clearly see life in the meeting of Sunday last.

34 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Within A Month To see them and to say they were Untouchables would be absurd. All the same in the eyes of the orthodox they were so. They have not only to cure themselves of Untouchability but have to uplift the orthodox who are immersed in the slough of prejudice. Their struggle is an essentially patriotic and essentially human struggle. With such a huge dead weight the nation cannot rise. So long as equal elementary rights are not conceded and assured to them, Hinduism shall stand shackled and manacled. In asserting their rights and in raising themselves, these warriors of the so-called Untouchable classes are raising the country and the Hindu religion. Dr. Ambedkar is now busy organising the next campaign in right earnest. It has been decided to start it within a month probably on the Hindu New Year’s Day when every Hindu house-holder flies a flag. The leaders of these Depressed Classes propose to fly their flag of “equal human rights to all” on that day and, God willing, they will do it.” 1 This is an article by D. V. Pradhan about Mahad Satyagraha— “TRIUMPH OF JUSTICE When in March last, Dr. Ambedkar led the Untouchables to the Chawdar Tank at Mahad, the orthodox section of the Caste Hindus lost their sleep, appetite and all over the “Sacrilege” and mercilessly belaboured the poor unsupported Untouchables while they were returning from the tank. Soon after, criminal proceedings were taken against the rowdies and they were punished for disturbing the public peace. Every effort was made by these so-called “Protectors” of the religion to oppose the Untouchables from coming near the tank and they were encouraged in their action by the orthodox press. It was to assert their right of ordinary human privileges, the Untouchables launched the Satyagraha Movement, and in December last, a conference of about 10,000 assembled and unanimously resolved to march on to the tank. But the Orthodox Caste Hindus who smelt this resolve 1 : The Indian National Herald, dated 28th February 1928.

35MAHAD SATYAGRAHA by their nose got a temporary injunction from the sub-judge of Mahad against the Untouchables using the tank of the ground that it was the private property of one Mr. Chowdhari and the touchable classes. Having secured this respite from the authorities, the touchables thought that they had gained the upper hand at the expense of the Government and the Untouchables. Dr. Ambedkar at once saw through the game, but decided to postpone Satyagraha till the civil suit was disposed of. The suit came for hearing on 23rd February 1928 before Mr. Vaidya, the sub-Judge of Mahad, and Dr. Ambedkar by his lucid exposition not only got the injunction cancelled but also convinced the judge the bona-fide of their right to use the public tank. Since the ban has been removed, the tank is now to be open for public use as per the resolution of the Bombay Legislative Council. Satyagraha to be Launched Now, in a public meeting held on Sunday the 26th February, in Bombay, attended by about 2,000 people, it was resolved to relaunch the Satyagraha at Mahad. The Satyagraha Committee is meeting shortly, and the exact date will be announced shortly. Those who are following and studying the Untouchable Movement in this part of the country under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar can very safely and boldly say that the movement is cosmopolitan in character. It is not simply for the opening of the tank for public use, but a movement of this kind with its manifold activities is directly paving the way for the evolution of the national movement for asserting their ordinary privileges of citizenship. It was only recently that Dr. Ambedkar announced his intention to open khadi centres for the Untouchables and thus help the great constructive programme blessed by Mahatmaji, with Khaddar on body and Satyagraha in mind against all evils, this movement is bound to succeed. One word to my friends. As every good movement has to pass through various stages of obstacles and it will have to meet the friendly foes as well open foes-of whom the former are more dangerous-so also this Satyagraha has to face all the obstacles put on the way and come out triumphant at last. I only appeal to my friends that in facing these hardships from friends or foes, they