Vol. 17, Part III · pages 116–120

19 THEY ALONE RISE WHO STRIVE A public meeting was held at Mazgaon, Bombay in the last week of February 1933. In this meeting Dr. B. R. Ambedkar said, “I am in a situation in which Tilak was once placed. As long as the opponents curse me, it is taken for granted that my work for you is on the right lines and is justified. During the last two thousand years never was such an attempt made to annihilate Untouchability. The Untouchables are now convinced that the demand for Swaraj and the cause of the Hindus will suffer for want of support from the Depressed Classes. What the Hindus do for you is not by way of charity or mercy. They do it for their own welfare as well. The mission of our movement is to fight out tyranny, injustice and false traditions, and to undo all privileges and release the harassed people from bondage. Our cause has gained recognition because of our ceaseless struggle.” “Give up eating carrion. People ask me then what they should eat. In reply, I ask you to remember the example of a virtuous woman. She will never accept the life of a prostitute for betterment though she falls on evil days. She suffers for self-respect. Learn to live in this world with self-respect. You should always cherish some ambition to do something in this world. They alone rise who strive. Some of you nurse the wrong notion that you will not rise in this world. But remember that the age of helplessness is ended. A new epoch has set in. All things are now possible because of your being able to participate in the politics and legislatures of this country.” 1 zz 1 : Keer, Pp. 233-234.

20 DO NOT DEPEND UPON GOD OR SUPERMAN “On Saturday, the 4th March 1933 at 9.30 p.m. the meeting of Untouchables was held, on the ground of G. I. P. Railway Quarters (near Bombay Sandoharst Road). Punjaji Jadhao proposed the name of Shri R. D. Kawali, B. A., LL. B., for presidentship and was seconded by Shri Kardak. The meeting was arranged in order to present the address duly signed by 85 persons to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. For this purpose a vast pandal was erected which was fully occupied. Distinguished leaders like Shivatarkar, Naik, Sahastrabuddhe, Diwakar Pagare, Upshyam, Kamalakant Chitre, Meshram etc., attended the meeting.” 1 Diwakar Pagare presented the address in honour of Dr. Ambedkar. While replying the address, Dr. Ambedkar said, Ladies and Gentlemen, “I thank you for the address you have presented to me. This address is full of superlatives about my work and qualities. It means you are deifying a common man like you. These ideas of hero-worship will bring ruin on you if you do not nip them in the bud. By deifying an individual, you repose faith for your safety and salvation in one single individual with the result that you get into the habit of dependence and grow indifferent to your duty. If you fall a victim to these ideas, your fate will be no better than logs of wood in the national stream of life. Your struggle will come to naught.” “Do not disregard,” he continued, “the political rights, the new epoch has bestowed upon you. Your whole class was trampled down up-till now because you were filled with ideas of helplessness. I may add that these ideas of hero-worship, deification and neglect of duty have ruined Hindu Society and are responsible for the degradation of our country.” “In other countries,” he observed. “during a national calamity and 1 : Janata, dated 11th March 1933.

89DO NOT............SUPERMAN crisis people take united action against the national calamity, ward off the danger, and attain peace and prosperity. But our religion has drummed into our ears that a man does nothing. He is a helpless log. At the appearance of a national calamity God is supposed to descend down and save us from danger! The result is that instead of taking a united action against their enemies they await the arrival of an incarnation to do this job for them.”* “You must abolish your slavery yourselves. Do not depend for its abolition upon God or Superman. Your salvation lies in political powers and not in making pilgrimages and observance of fasts. Devotion to scriptures would not free you from your bondage, want and poverty. Your forefathers have been doing it for generations, but there has been no respite nor even a slight difference in your miserable life in any way. Like your forefathers, you wear rags. Like them, you subsist on thrown out crumbs ; like them, you perish in utter slums and hovels ; and like them, you fall easy victims to diseases with a death rate that rages among poultry. Your religious fasts, austerities and penances have not saved you from starvation.” “It is the duty of the Legislature,” he concluded, “to provide for your food, clothes, shelter, education, medicine and all the means of earning a livelihood. The work of law-making and of its execution is to be performed with your consent, help and will. In short, law is the abode of all worldly happiness. You capture the power of law-making. It is, therefore, your duty to divert your attention from fast, worship and penance and apply it to capturing law-making power. That way lies your salvation. That way will end your starvation. Remember that it is not enough that a people are numerically in majority. They must be always watchful, strong, well-educated and self-respecting to attain and maintain success.” 1 zz * Janata, dated 11th March 1933. 1 : Keer, Pp. 234-35.

21 I WILL WREST AS MUCH POWER FOR THE COUNTRY AS POSSIBLE On the eve of his departure to London, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was given an address, on April 23, 1933 by the Depressed Classes of Poona at the Damodar Hall in Bombay. About 8-10 thousand people were assembled for this meeting. Raibahadur S. K. Bole presided over the meeting. Mr. P. L. Lokhande read the address and Persented to Dr. Ambedkar on behalf of Nasik District while Mr. Haribhau Hanumant Rokde presented the address on behalf of Pune District. On this Occasion various district Committees donated the different amount collected by them to Dr. Ambedkars. 1 “Addressing the meeting, he said that during the second session of the Round Table Conference he was helpless. He could not estrange the British Government by siding with Gandhi who was not prepared to concede anything to the Depressed Classes. He declared that since his struggle for the rights of the Depressed Classes was nearing success, he would devote his energies to wresting as much power for the country as was possible for him. At the conclusion of the meeting, he appealed to his people not to come to the Ballard Pier to give him a send-off as was their practice. He said they should not do it at the cost of one day’s wages.” 2 zz 1 : Janata, dated 29th April 1933. 2 : Keer, P. 238.

22 FIND MEN WHO WILL PROMOTE YOUR INTERESTS “The third session of the Kolaba Distinct Peasants’ Conference was held on Sunday the 16th December 1934 at Chari in Alibag Taluka under the presidentship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. The preliminary arrangements of the Conference were made by the peasants themselves. A spacious pandal was erected with a dais in the centre for the president and distinguished guests. The meeting place was nicely decorated with flags and buntings. Cloth boards bearing slogans such as “Victory to the peasants”, “Peasants, Unite” etc., were seen hanging in the pandal. Dr. Ambedkar was garlanded by the peasants at Saral, Rewas, Hashiwre, Naringi etc. The Conference commenced its sitting at 2 p.m. About 6,000 peasants from all over the district had collected for the Conference. Among those present at the Conference were Messrs. G. N. Sahastrabuddhe (Bombay S. S. League), M. V. Donde (Principal, Parel High School), S. V. Parulekar (Servants of India Society), D. V. Pradhan, K. V. Chitre, T. V. Parvate (Editor, Maratha), S. G. Tipnis, C. G. Deshpande, N. M. Deshpande, Subhedar Savadkar, Damuanna Potnis (Bhor Praja Parishad), and others Mr. Ardeshir Baria, landlord of Pezari also attended. The Mamlatdar of Alibag, Police Sub-Inspector and other Government officers were present. Mr. N. N. Patil, Chairman of the Reception Committee, welcomed the delegates. Dr. Ambedkar’s Speech Dr. Ambedkar received great ovation as he rose to speak. He said ;— “You have today, to concentrate your attention to find out ways to remove your grievances. The term Shetkari. I must tell you, as commonly used today is a misnomer, people who