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Mukt Shabd Journal ISSN NO : 2347-3150 Mahatma and Babasaheb Ambedkar, Their Conflicts and Confluences

Dr K J SIBI IQAC Coordinator, Shivprasad Sadanand Jaiswal College Dist. Gondia

Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B R Ambedkar were contributed to our country and the world in a different capacity and different levels beyond the imagination of an ordinary person. They were contemporary political and rivalries of the British era. They were born in different social backgrounds and educated in different backgrounds with different life experiences in their lives. Therefore, their approach towards , caste, and had radical differences. Gandhiji saw untouchability as the sin of Hinduism but Ambedkar saw it as the denial of basic fundamental to the depressed classes of .

Their political confrontation had a great historical context, it began from the round table conferences of 1930- 32. In the first round table conference, Ambedkar had appeared as the representative of the depressed class. But in the second round table conference, Gandhiji also appeared and claimed that he was also the representative of the depressed class as the untouchables as an integral part of fold. Ambedkar denied the claim of Gandhiji and argued that untouchables were not a part of but a part apart from Hindus because they were not treated equally as other Hindus. Untouchable as a separate class with unique identity would be included and sought a proportionate share in central and provincial assemblies. If the untouchables were safeguarded in an independent India, they would be politically, socially and economically protected. Unfortunately, they were always sidelined by the inevitable domination of caste Hindus in every sphere of life.

Ambedkar felt that universal suffrage and reserved seats for the untouchables would be sufficient. But round table conference discussed on separate electorates to each community. Gandhiji was agreed to giving this separate provision to Muslims as he had acknowledged their identity as a separate community. But he was adamant in the case of untouchable, he was always considered them as an integral part of the Hindus and always tried to tie them as an integral part of the Hindus.

When Ramsay MacDonald awarded separate electorates to the depressed classes, Gandhiji fiercely protested with a fast unto the death. This was the cause of the direct confrontation with Ambedkar in public. Both these two political personalities were the staunch advocates of the philosophy of non- in a very different way. Gandhiji had adopted this non-violent tactic to mount pressure upon Ambedkar to agree with his stand on the separate electorate issue. Ambedkar had tested himself as the of non-violence in this context. He understood very well that what would be the consequences if Gandhiji died. Throughout India, definitely, there would be pogroms and genocide against the depressed classes. Thousands of the depressed classes would be massacred in every nook and corner of India. And Ambedkar would be lonely responsible for such consequences. As the real follower of non-violence, at last, Ambedkar was surrendered and compromised for the sake of Gandhi's life. was the result of this consensus approach.

The Ambedkarites in India believed that Ambedkar was blackmailed and surrendered the political rights of the depressed class through the Poona Pact. But Gandhiji was always considered them as an integral part of the Hindus and he could not see them as a separate class. Gandhiji was the frontrunner and a champion of eradication of untouchability from the Indian soil. He was not only stood for the integrity of the Hindus but also he stood for the integrity of united India at the time of partition. He informed Lord Mountbatten when he told about the package of the ,

VOLUME - IX, ISSUE - III, 2020 Page No : 97 Mukt Shabd Journal ISSN NO : 2347-3150 Gandhiji told him very emotionally that first, you would divide my body and then you would divide my motherland. Gandhiji was a man of integration and integrity in character in the case of political issues. He had his own understanding and concept about every issue and he never compromised with his political understanding. His political convictions were not in line with other political philosophers of that time. Therefore, he was a lonely crusader in the last moments of his life. His political aides were renounced him politically. Except for his friend, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was the only leader supporting for a united India in which Muslims and Hindus would live like brothers.

There was always a misunderstanding between these two great leaders on many issues and their approaches. Ambedkar was presented himself as the strong adversary of Gandhi and his ideology. But it was not the case with Gandhiji. Even though, there were differences in political issues and eradication of untouchability between Gandhiji and Ambedkar, Gandhiji always recognized and respected the scholarly knowledge of Ambedkar. Gandhiji had no personal grudge against Ambedkar as a person. There was definitely a fundamental difference between Gandhiji and Ambedkar in the case of the removal of the caste system. Ambedkar always advocated for the complete removal of the caste system with its roots but Gandhiji only focused on the complete removal of the practice of untouchability with its roots from the Hindu .

When Gandhiji was alive and Gandhiji himself recommended the name of Ambedkar to take up the responsibility as the first Law Minister in Nehru's cabinet. Later, he was also appointed as the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the constitution. Gandhiji has never opposed the promotion of Ambedkar as the Law Minister and the Chairman of the drafting committee because Gandhiji well understood that he was an appropriate person for this responsibility.

There were many similarities in the constitutional approach of Gandhiji and Ambedkar. Everybody knows that Gandhiji was the main architect of the drafting of Karachi Congress Resolution. The resolution of the Karachi Congress was the most important evidence of this constitutional understanding between Gandhi and Ambedkar. When Ambedkar as the chairman of the drafting committee, there was a reflection of the influence of Karachi congress in the constitution. passed this resolution in 1931. Karachi congress was conducted under the background of some major events such as Gandhi's release from the prison following his and consequently the Gandhi-Irvin Pact and the execution of and two of his associates in connection with the Case.

The Resolution was written in a quasi-legal style and reiterated the commitment to complete independence and assurance of fundamental rights to the citizens. It also put forward a list of socio-economic principles and duties of the Indian State that had to adhere to its citizens. There were protections for the industrial workers, abolishing child labor, free primary education, and protections of agricultural labor. It also propagated the prohibition of intoxicating drinks and drugs which was the evidence of Gandhian influence in the draft.

The socio-economic provision in the Karachi Resolution influenced Ambedkar in drawing up Part IV of the Indian Constitution-Directive Principles of the State Policy. It was also emphasized in its resolution about the fundamental rights and duties of the people. As per the resolution, every citizen of India has the right of free expression of opinion, the right of free association and combination and the right to assemble peacefully and without arms, for the purpose not to oppose law and morality. Every citizen shall enjoy the freedom of and the right freely to profess and practice his religion, subject to public order and morality. The culture, language, and script of the minorities and the different linguistic areas shall be protected. All citizens are equal before the law, irrespective of religion, caste, creed, and sex. No disability attaches to any citizen because of his or her religion, caste, concerning public employment,

VOLUME - IX, ISSUE - III, MARCH 2020 Page No : 98 Mukt Shabd Journal ISSN NO : 2347-3150 office & power of honor and in the exercise of any trade. All citizens have equal rights and duties regarding wells, tanks, roads, schools and places of public resort, maintained out of state or local funds or dedicated by private persons for the use of the general public. All these fundamental principles for a modern democratic secular concept envisaged in the Karachi resolution showed that Gandhiji and Nehru had an excellent vision about the constitution of an Independent Indian State.

Thus, Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar had certain confluence in their basic philosophy of the welfare of the poor and the down-trodden people of the country. They had a conflict in their approach due to their socio-economic background. Ambedkar had bitter experiences in his life owing to the practice of untouchability but Gandhiji was free from all types of harassment in his life. He was very fortunate in his life as he was born in an upper-caste family. Therefore, his schooling was completed with no difficulty in his life. On the other hand, Ambedkar had faced a lot of obstacles in his political life from beginning to the end of his life. Ambedkar and Gandhiji both of them were influenced by the great philosophy of Buddha.

Mahatma Gandhi's contribution to the independence of the country is unquestionable. In this way, the contribution of Ambedkar as the architect of the constitution is unquestionable to this moment. Both of them are great patriots of the nation in different capacities and different roles in different periods. Both of them had a strong belief in their life that the most vital need of the nation was to inculcate among the masses the sense of a common nationality, the feeling that they were Indians first and religious feeling afterward. They also strongly expected that people must be Indians first and Indians last, if that would be , nothing could divide us. Both had many practical to overcome the divisive problems of the country but people around them would not listen seriously and would not accept their wisdom. Both of them tried to improve the lives of the masses in India and employ the principles of humanistic philosophy. They also tried to solve all the problems of the nation and bring up India as a united strong nation. The followers of Gandhi and Ambedkar could not fulfill the dreams of these leaders because the followers continued the practice of caste-feeling in the spheres of all domains of socio-political life.

Mahatma Gandhi always condemned the practice of untouchability and other social evils and humiliations. Ambedkar also had a similar spirit of rebellion against injustice and a strong stand for the universal brotherhood. Gandhi and Ambedkar are the two bold radical leaders of modern India who always fight for the most humanistic concept of life on the earth. Both of them are the modern icons of heroism and revolt. One is a social reformer and another is a fighter and revolutionary. Both of them are the most influential Indians inside and outside of India. Anyway, Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar have conflicts and confluences in their activity and life but they have placed an indelible imprint and everlasting influence on the life of all Indians all over the world.

Works Cited

 Ahir D.C.,The Legacy of Ambedkar, B R Publishing. Corporation, New , 1990.  Kasturi, Bhashyam.,Walking Alone Gandhi and India's Partition, : Vision Books, 2007.  KeerDhananjay., Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission, Bombay, Popular Prakashan, 1990.  Prabhu R K and Rao U R., The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, Ahmadabad: Navajeevan Publishing House, 1967.  Copley, Antony.,Gandhi against the Tide, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1987.  Shirer, William L., Gandhi: A Memoir, New Delhi, Rupa& Co., 1993.  https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in

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