Dr. Xavier Mao
Department of Philosophy,
Nehu, Shillong
Subhash C Arya
Department of Ece,
Nehu, Shillong
Without self-criticism there is no self knowledge. In other words, self criticism constitutes the rock bottom of self knowledge. Criticism of one’s society in a constructive way leads to progress and refinement. In what follows, we wish to present a critical review of Dr B.R.Ambedkar’s view on “Annihilation of Caste” B.R.Ambedkar was great in many ways. No doubt he was a great man, a great scholar and always thought in terms of improving the lots of millions in India. He was born in low caste for which he was not responsible. He was subjected to untold social ostracism despite being highly educated from top universities abroad. While working as a high up official his peon refused to bring a glass of water for him on the ground that he belonged to Mahar community. He put up with all types of humiliations in different spheres of his life. He did not want to take revenge for all that agony and humiliation he received. On the other hand, he tried his best to ameliorate and improve the obnoxious social practices. He succeeded to a very large extent.
He was the architect of Indian Constitution. In the constituent Assembly meeting he vehemently argued in favour of one egalitarian society without any preference for caste, class, and creed. At a particular stage Indian Society had become terribly degenerate and ossified. Both Ambedkar and Gandhi fought against caste system. But Ambedkar’s approach to caste system was very radical to the extent of abolition of all the so called sacred books of the Hindus. Birth into a particular community is not a sin. If practice of untouchability in any form today is a punishable offence in India, it is because of Ambedkar and Gandhi. Further, the policy of reservation in employment for SC and ST enshrined in the constitution is largely through the efforts of Ambedkar. But surprisingly Ambedkar was not in favour of providing reservations for all time to come.
By and large the constitution has served the purpose for which it was made. The policy of conversion of a large numbers of Mahar community to Buddhism by B.R.Ambedkar has also served its purpose. But what next? We wish to argue out this in our paper that social problems are alike in nature. Further, we wish to argue that Indian Constitution created by great sons of India is not able to meet the rising problems and situations even in the contemporary India.
So far, the government of India has no proposal to ban caste system, the issue of caste annihilation raised about 76 years ago in the year 1936 by Baba Saheb Ambedkar through his undelivered presidential address on “Annihilation of Caste” is still burning and alive in the Indian society. Even after putting strong and uncompromising efforts by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, caste could not be an issue to be eradicated from Hindu society as Gandhi could not take it well. Instead Mr. M.K.Gandhi had repeatedly advocates caste and varna system to be integral part of Hindu Religion and society. Caste system in a milder form has penetrated into the religions like Sikkhism, Islam, Christianity etc. in India. Due to strong presence of caste system in Indian society, India is not able to emerge as a world power by establishing its society based on equality, justice and fraternity as enshrined in the constitution in practice. Once India was among the top world leaders in science, philosophy and knowledge at the time of Nalanda University, Tabsheela University, Vikramshila University, Gandhar university etc. Our paper attempts to draw attention of contemporary generation towards the debate which took place 76 years back between Dr. Ambedkar and Mr. M.K Gandhi on caste issue. In a span of just four years i.e. between 2001 to 2005, according to national crime Record Bureau of Union Home Ministry of GOI the total number of crimes against Scheduled Caste alone were 1,56,274 of which 3,406 were of murder and 6,163 were of rape. This colossal amount of caste based atrocities on scheduled caste reminded us of BaBa Saheb Ambedkar’s statement that “caste system has made the Brahmins intellectually dishonest, the Kshatriyas haughty and cruel, the vaishyas greedy for money, and has dehumanized the Shudras”. This historic statement also reveals why India and its people are counted as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The negative and reluctant approach towards caste system issue by Government of India, has been evidenced when it opposed to an agenda in UN world conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related Intolerance which was held at Durban, South Africa in August, September, 2001. Therefore, we feel that even after many years of the Ambedkar-Gandhi’s historic debate, the necessity to review and make young generation aware about the radical suggestion and the efforts made by Baba Sahib Dr.Ambedkar to annihilate the caste system and reform Hindu society, failure of which led India to put in state of internal struggle, caste\religion based violence, miserable and corrupt life. As per his perception and conviction in his last stage of life he directed his Mahar community to choose a path of freedom, liberty and equality by embracing Buddhism. On 26th January 1950, Ambedkar made his famous statements “We are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in social life we will have inequality…. We must remove at the earliest possible moment or else those who suffer from inequality will blow up the structure of political democracy which we have so laboriously built up”. Today’s maoists movement and the politics of caste with the consequent social, economic and political chaos are clear indicator of Ambedkar’s statements mentioned above.
Some scholars who are in favour of the caste system argued that caste system is nothing but division of labour (class system) found all over the world. However, Ambedkar emphatically argued that caste system is the worst kind of racism in religious garb. Division of labour has nothing to do with birth, whereas caste system is very deeply rooted on birth, both in theory and practice. In any democratic society division of labour is voluntary that is any person is free to justify for or to adopt any profession. On the other hand, caste system forces a person to follow the profession of the forefathers whether one likes it or not or whether one has the aptitude or competence for it or not. The detailed description prescribed for the untouchable mentioned by Ambedkar at that point of time perhaps today, they are not visible and at the most the form must have changed if the same social and mental attitude persists. However, the existence of caste consciousness still keeps the memory of past hostile and horrible hatred between castes fresh and this has prevented effective unity and solidarity among the Indians.
Further, the heavy prescription of Manusmiti such as cutting off the tongue or pouring of molten lead in the ears of shudra who recites or listens to the Veda is unheard of today. Inter-dining and inter-marriage are taking place much more frequent than at the time of Ambedkar, in the present day. According to Ambedkar the Hindu belief in the sacredness of social order has divine basis. Therefore to destroy the sacredness and divinity with which caste has deeply entrenched is to destroy the authority of the Shastras and the Vedas, which is not likely to happen.
For Ambedkar, the Hindu religion as contained in the Vedas, Shrutis and Smritis is essentially a mass of sacrificial, social and political and sanitary rules and regulations without any sense of responsibility and universal love for all humankind. If at all there should be a sacred book of the Hindus, it should be only one and acceptable to all Hindus. In other words, all other books of Hindu religion such as Vedas, Shastras and Puranas which are considered as authoritative and holy must be abolished by law and the preaching of such doctrine either religious or social from these books must be even punishable by law. He is in favour of the abolition of priesthood among Hindus. But abolition is unlikely; therefore, it should be open to anyone like Christian priesthood. Hereditary priesthood should be done away with. According to him, the lower castes of the Hindus have been completely disabled for the positive action because of the wretched system of Chaturvarnya. The untouchable and the shudras were condemned to be lowly and a lot of them became reconciled to eternal servitude which they think that their lot is inescapable fate. As a consequence Chaturvarnya is a degrading system of social organization. It is diabolical system which deadens, paralyses and cripples the low caste people from liberating and positive activity.
No society is possible without some kind of hierarchy. In other words, hierarchy is built into the very texture of society, but hierarchy has to be understood in functional terms. It is for example you cannot ask everybody to cultivate land or become a teacher. But in due course of time this type of hierarchy has become a replica of caste system, if Indian society was stratified on caste line in the past. Even in the contemporary period Indian society has been stratified in a sense very rigidly on class line. Those who belong to upper strata of class are extended all kinds of facilities and benefits whereas persons belonging to lower rung of the hierarchy become deprived. It may not be out of place to mention a particular recent phenomenon that is taking place almost throughout India. On the plea of paucity of fund some state governments are appointing teachers in universities and colleges on contractual basis of fixed pay. We may humbly suggest in this connection that if the country is facing financial crisis, then out of 30 governors 3 or 4 may be appointed on contract basis at fixed pay. Similarly, almost all state governments have replaced pension by introducing pay pension-free. On the other hand, if any M.L.A. or M.P. gets elected to the house to a vacant even for a short period the incumbent is entitled to full pension. What we reiterate in this connection is this, if there is poverty and paucity of fund in India, it should be equally and equitably shared by all, including the President, Governor, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and other officials including common man. Any preferential treatment to a section of people at the cost of common people is anti-democratic. Time has come to think over this problem and to make necessary amends. The philosopher king as visualized by Plato does not even enjoy such privileges as existing in India. Corruption of all types in high offices is prevalent in India. Time is ripe to make all out efforts to eradicate such social evils. Perhaps Ambedkar and Gandhi did not visualize this point. Both Ambedkar and Gandhi worked hard to reform Hindu religion, but Ambedkar having disappointed with the vicious and dehumanizing practices in Hinduism ultimately embraced Buddhism. He even instructed his followers to do the same. But Gandhi continued to remain within Hindu fold. Buddhism is against all types of superstitious and blind belief.
It is most surprising and obnoxious that in modern India, in certain parts of the country sorcery, black magic, witchcraft is being practiced. Even men and women suspected of practicing black magic are inhumanly tortured and even put to death. There is no such provision in the constitution to eliminate sorcery, black magic and to legally punish such practitioners. Social and political theories are not simply to be raised and to be researched, but they have to put into practice.
We wish the following follow up action in this connection;
1. The educational system in the country has to be thoroughly overhauled up to class 12 level.
2. Education should be made compulsory at least up to Class X.
3. In certain cases even free education for those who belong to poor sections of society -.
4. After 10+2 Class, 50% of the students should go for technical or professional jobs.
5. Another 50% should go for general education that is graduation in arts, science and other studies.
6. After passing out graduation stage students should be allowed to go for various services.
7. Only select few who are really interested and have capacity to go for post graduation and research should be allowed to do that. It may be mentioned in this connection without going into depth and intricacy of the problem, HRD in India is planning to increase in massive way the numbers of intake at a post graduation level, this is a faulty and defective planning and likely to play havoc in the end.
8. The medium of instruction up to 10+2 level should be in the mother tongue. Besides the mother tongue English and Hindi should be compulsorily and effectively taught to all students.
9. The total land available in the country should be nationalized and give to students on lease basis with all facilities such as irrigation, crop insurance etc. Giving rice at Rs. 2 per kg to B.P.L people does not solve the problem, it creates further problems. Time has come for India to take radical steps in the context of discussing the ideas of B.Ambedkar and M.K. Gandhi. Perhaps the above points have to be taken into account in the spirit of the debate between Gandhi and Ambedkar.
