Rise of New Forces - I | Maharashtra State PSC (MPSC): Preparation - MPSC (Maharastra) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
 
102
6.0 OBJECTIVES  
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a great modern social 
thinker, a born fighter, a famous advocate & a humanist. Dr 
Ambedkar, who was born in an “Untouchable” or dalit community 
called Mahar in Maharashtra, took a leading role in promoting the 
welfare of the untouchables & elevating their status.  Being the 
most highly educated untouchable in India, Dr. Ambedkar became 
the undisputed spokesman of the untouchables and depressed 
classes in India. He fought against many of the injustice done to the 
untouchables by establishing a political party & a couple of 
organisation for the upliftment of the untouchables.  
 
Pandit Nehru rightly described him as the “the greatest 
revolutionary who fought against all the oppressive features of 
Hindu Society.” 
 
 REFORMATION FOR DALITS  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar had made it clear that his main aim in life was 
to remove the practice of untouchability and to take the 
untouchables towards socio economic equality and justice. In order 
to make them socially & politically conscious he made the Dalits 
aware of the indignities heaped on them and sought to oversee 
their pride as human beings, for that he started initially many 
satyagrahas which included the demands of civil rights. There were 
the issue of public places like roads, tanks etc. He organised 
Satyagraha for temple entry also but he was very clear in his 
ultimate goal of emancipation of dalits. Infact, it was an indirect 
action to gain political and educational power for Dalits.  
 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar made an appeal to his people to change their 
style of life to suit to the needs to time. He urged them to stop the 
dragging of dead cattle, out of the village. He wanted them to give 
up eating carrion, alcoholic drinks & begging. He wanted them to 
RISE	OF	NEW	FORCES	-	I	
Page 2


 
 
102
6.0 OBJECTIVES  
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a great modern social 
thinker, a born fighter, a famous advocate & a humanist. Dr 
Ambedkar, who was born in an “Untouchable” or dalit community 
called Mahar in Maharashtra, took a leading role in promoting the 
welfare of the untouchables & elevating their status.  Being the 
most highly educated untouchable in India, Dr. Ambedkar became 
the undisputed spokesman of the untouchables and depressed 
classes in India. He fought against many of the injustice done to the 
untouchables by establishing a political party & a couple of 
organisation for the upliftment of the untouchables.  
 
Pandit Nehru rightly described him as the “the greatest 
revolutionary who fought against all the oppressive features of 
Hindu Society.” 
 
 REFORMATION FOR DALITS  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar had made it clear that his main aim in life was 
to remove the practice of untouchability and to take the 
untouchables towards socio economic equality and justice. In order 
to make them socially & politically conscious he made the Dalits 
aware of the indignities heaped on them and sought to oversee 
their pride as human beings, for that he started initially many 
satyagrahas which included the demands of civil rights. There were 
the issue of public places like roads, tanks etc. He organised 
Satyagraha for temple entry also but he was very clear in his 
ultimate goal of emancipation of dalits. Infact, it was an indirect 
action to gain political and educational power for Dalits.  
 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar made an appeal to his people to change their 
style of life to suit to the needs to time. He urged them to stop the 
dragging of dead cattle, out of the village. He wanted them to give 
up eating carrion, alcoholic drinks & begging. He wanted them to 
RISE	OF	NEW	FORCES	-	I	
 
 
become literates & send their children to schools. Finally he wanted 
them to dress well & have self respect for themselves. Thus one of 
his chief aim was to bring about a revolution in the way of life of the 
untouchables & in their aspiration for themselves & their children.  
 
 In his efforts to raise the status of the untouchables, Dr, 
Ambedkar considered the caste system as one of the obstacles. He 
expressed his great disappointment with the caste system as well 
as the Varna system. He even gave a call to destroy the caste 
system in his famous book, “The Annihilation of Caste” (1936). He 
wrote in “Harijan” in 1933, “The outcaste is a by product of the 
caste system. Nothing can emancipate the outcaste except the 
destruction of the caste system”. As an expression of his 
disillusionment with Hinduism, he embraced Buddhism along with 
his followers.  
 
Dr. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR’S EVIDENCE 
BEFORE SOUTHBOROUGH COMMISSION  
 
 British Government declared that it will form responsible 
Government in India in 1917. In order to give safeguards to 
minorities to prevent their political rights, British Government 
started interviewing various leaders in India. British Parliament sent 
a committee chaired by Southborough in order take the evidences 
and decide the policy in the matter of franchise.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar submitted written evidence to 
Southborough Commission in which he demanded following rights.  
 
1) Untouchables should be given right to vote.  
2) They should be given right to contest the election.  
3) Their should be separate electorate reserved for them.  
4) Untouchable representatives of untouchables must be 
elected by untouchable voters.  
5) In an untouchable dominant constituency, they should be 
given reserved seats as per their population.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar demanded civil rights for 
untouchables before Southborough commission and it was the first 
organized effort in modern India to start civil rights movements of 
untouchables.  
 
BAHISHKRIT HITAKARNI SABHA (1924) 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha on 
20
th
 July 1924 with an aim to spread the culture of education 
Page 3


 
 
102
6.0 OBJECTIVES  
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a great modern social 
thinker, a born fighter, a famous advocate & a humanist. Dr 
Ambedkar, who was born in an “Untouchable” or dalit community 
called Mahar in Maharashtra, took a leading role in promoting the 
welfare of the untouchables & elevating their status.  Being the 
most highly educated untouchable in India, Dr. Ambedkar became 
the undisputed spokesman of the untouchables and depressed 
classes in India. He fought against many of the injustice done to the 
untouchables by establishing a political party & a couple of 
organisation for the upliftment of the untouchables.  
 
Pandit Nehru rightly described him as the “the greatest 
revolutionary who fought against all the oppressive features of 
Hindu Society.” 
 
 REFORMATION FOR DALITS  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar had made it clear that his main aim in life was 
to remove the practice of untouchability and to take the 
untouchables towards socio economic equality and justice. In order 
to make them socially & politically conscious he made the Dalits 
aware of the indignities heaped on them and sought to oversee 
their pride as human beings, for that he started initially many 
satyagrahas which included the demands of civil rights. There were 
the issue of public places like roads, tanks etc. He organised 
Satyagraha for temple entry also but he was very clear in his 
ultimate goal of emancipation of dalits. Infact, it was an indirect 
action to gain political and educational power for Dalits.  
 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar made an appeal to his people to change their 
style of life to suit to the needs to time. He urged them to stop the 
dragging of dead cattle, out of the village. He wanted them to give 
up eating carrion, alcoholic drinks & begging. He wanted them to 
RISE	OF	NEW	FORCES	-	I	
 
 
become literates & send their children to schools. Finally he wanted 
them to dress well & have self respect for themselves. Thus one of 
his chief aim was to bring about a revolution in the way of life of the 
untouchables & in their aspiration for themselves & their children.  
 
 In his efforts to raise the status of the untouchables, Dr, 
Ambedkar considered the caste system as one of the obstacles. He 
expressed his great disappointment with the caste system as well 
as the Varna system. He even gave a call to destroy the caste 
system in his famous book, “The Annihilation of Caste” (1936). He 
wrote in “Harijan” in 1933, “The outcaste is a by product of the 
caste system. Nothing can emancipate the outcaste except the 
destruction of the caste system”. As an expression of his 
disillusionment with Hinduism, he embraced Buddhism along with 
his followers.  
 
Dr. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR’S EVIDENCE 
BEFORE SOUTHBOROUGH COMMISSION  
 
 British Government declared that it will form responsible 
Government in India in 1917. In order to give safeguards to 
minorities to prevent their political rights, British Government 
started interviewing various leaders in India. British Parliament sent 
a committee chaired by Southborough in order take the evidences 
and decide the policy in the matter of franchise.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar submitted written evidence to 
Southborough Commission in which he demanded following rights.  
 
1) Untouchables should be given right to vote.  
2) They should be given right to contest the election.  
3) Their should be separate electorate reserved for them.  
4) Untouchable representatives of untouchables must be 
elected by untouchable voters.  
5) In an untouchable dominant constituency, they should be 
given reserved seats as per their population.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar demanded civil rights for 
untouchables before Southborough commission and it was the first 
organized effort in modern India to start civil rights movements of 
untouchables.  
 
BAHISHKRIT HITAKARNI SABHA (1924) 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha on 
20
th
 July 1924 with an aim to spread the culture of education 
 
 
among the depressed classes. Bahishkrit means ‘Exterio’ or ‘out 
caste’. For the betterment of the interests of such people; the sabha 
started a hostel at Sholapur in January 1925. It was basically for 
the high school students whose expenses of on clothing, stationary 
& boarding were to be born by the sabha itself. The Sholapur 
municipality was kind enough to sanction a grant of Rs. 401 for the 
maintenance of the hostel. The Sabha also established an 
institution to inculcate a liking for learning and knowledge and a 
love for social service into the minds of the students of the 
depressed classes.  The students soon started conducting a 
monthly magazine called Vidya Vilas.  In addition, a free reading 
room in Bombay and Mahar Hockey Club was also started for 
recreation. The motto of the Sabha was “educate, agitate and 
organize”.  Ambedkar classified all these objectives. 
 
 On behalf of the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha, Dr. Ambedkar 
submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission demanding 
joint electorates with reservation of seats for depressed classes in 
legislatures and opposed the principle of nomination.  Then on 
question of framing a constitution for India the British govt. 
convened a Round Table Conference in London in 1930 for which 
Dr. Ambedkar was also invited.  There he served on almost all the 
sub committees including Minority sub-Committee, appointed by 
the conference.  Dr. Ambedkar prepared a draft of the declaration 
of Fundamental rights safeguarding the cultural, religious and 
economic rights of the untouchables.  He also prepared a Scheme 
of Political Safeguards for the Protection of Depressed classes in 
the Future Constitution of Self governing India and submitted it to 
the minorities subcommittee.  To Dr. Ambedkar, the Round Table 
Conference laid the foundation of self Government of India and 
proved to be a successful so far as the rights of the depressed 
classes were concerned. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MAHAD WATER TANK SATYAGRAHA (1927) 
 
 Of the attempts made to indicate the right to take water from 
the public watering places, it is enough to mention the case of 
Chavdar Tank.  This tank is situated in the town of Mahad in the 
Kolaba district of Bombay presidency.  This tank is a vast expense 
Page 4


 
 
102
6.0 OBJECTIVES  
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a great modern social 
thinker, a born fighter, a famous advocate & a humanist. Dr 
Ambedkar, who was born in an “Untouchable” or dalit community 
called Mahar in Maharashtra, took a leading role in promoting the 
welfare of the untouchables & elevating their status.  Being the 
most highly educated untouchable in India, Dr. Ambedkar became 
the undisputed spokesman of the untouchables and depressed 
classes in India. He fought against many of the injustice done to the 
untouchables by establishing a political party & a couple of 
organisation for the upliftment of the untouchables.  
 
Pandit Nehru rightly described him as the “the greatest 
revolutionary who fought against all the oppressive features of 
Hindu Society.” 
 
 REFORMATION FOR DALITS  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar had made it clear that his main aim in life was 
to remove the practice of untouchability and to take the 
untouchables towards socio economic equality and justice. In order 
to make them socially & politically conscious he made the Dalits 
aware of the indignities heaped on them and sought to oversee 
their pride as human beings, for that he started initially many 
satyagrahas which included the demands of civil rights. There were 
the issue of public places like roads, tanks etc. He organised 
Satyagraha for temple entry also but he was very clear in his 
ultimate goal of emancipation of dalits. Infact, it was an indirect 
action to gain political and educational power for Dalits.  
 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar made an appeal to his people to change their 
style of life to suit to the needs to time. He urged them to stop the 
dragging of dead cattle, out of the village. He wanted them to give 
up eating carrion, alcoholic drinks & begging. He wanted them to 
RISE	OF	NEW	FORCES	-	I	
 
 
become literates & send their children to schools. Finally he wanted 
them to dress well & have self respect for themselves. Thus one of 
his chief aim was to bring about a revolution in the way of life of the 
untouchables & in their aspiration for themselves & their children.  
 
 In his efforts to raise the status of the untouchables, Dr, 
Ambedkar considered the caste system as one of the obstacles. He 
expressed his great disappointment with the caste system as well 
as the Varna system. He even gave a call to destroy the caste 
system in his famous book, “The Annihilation of Caste” (1936). He 
wrote in “Harijan” in 1933, “The outcaste is a by product of the 
caste system. Nothing can emancipate the outcaste except the 
destruction of the caste system”. As an expression of his 
disillusionment with Hinduism, he embraced Buddhism along with 
his followers.  
 
Dr. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR’S EVIDENCE 
BEFORE SOUTHBOROUGH COMMISSION  
 
 British Government declared that it will form responsible 
Government in India in 1917. In order to give safeguards to 
minorities to prevent their political rights, British Government 
started interviewing various leaders in India. British Parliament sent 
a committee chaired by Southborough in order take the evidences 
and decide the policy in the matter of franchise.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar submitted written evidence to 
Southborough Commission in which he demanded following rights.  
 
1) Untouchables should be given right to vote.  
2) They should be given right to contest the election.  
3) Their should be separate electorate reserved for them.  
4) Untouchable representatives of untouchables must be 
elected by untouchable voters.  
5) In an untouchable dominant constituency, they should be 
given reserved seats as per their population.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar demanded civil rights for 
untouchables before Southborough commission and it was the first 
organized effort in modern India to start civil rights movements of 
untouchables.  
 
BAHISHKRIT HITAKARNI SABHA (1924) 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha on 
20
th
 July 1924 with an aim to spread the culture of education 
 
 
among the depressed classes. Bahishkrit means ‘Exterio’ or ‘out 
caste’. For the betterment of the interests of such people; the sabha 
started a hostel at Sholapur in January 1925. It was basically for 
the high school students whose expenses of on clothing, stationary 
& boarding were to be born by the sabha itself. The Sholapur 
municipality was kind enough to sanction a grant of Rs. 401 for the 
maintenance of the hostel. The Sabha also established an 
institution to inculcate a liking for learning and knowledge and a 
love for social service into the minds of the students of the 
depressed classes.  The students soon started conducting a 
monthly magazine called Vidya Vilas.  In addition, a free reading 
room in Bombay and Mahar Hockey Club was also started for 
recreation. The motto of the Sabha was “educate, agitate and 
organize”.  Ambedkar classified all these objectives. 
 
 On behalf of the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha, Dr. Ambedkar 
submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission demanding 
joint electorates with reservation of seats for depressed classes in 
legislatures and opposed the principle of nomination.  Then on 
question of framing a constitution for India the British govt. 
convened a Round Table Conference in London in 1930 for which 
Dr. Ambedkar was also invited.  There he served on almost all the 
sub committees including Minority sub-Committee, appointed by 
the conference.  Dr. Ambedkar prepared a draft of the declaration 
of Fundamental rights safeguarding the cultural, religious and 
economic rights of the untouchables.  He also prepared a Scheme 
of Political Safeguards for the Protection of Depressed classes in 
the Future Constitution of Self governing India and submitted it to 
the minorities subcommittee.  To Dr. Ambedkar, the Round Table 
Conference laid the foundation of self Government of India and 
proved to be a successful so far as the rights of the depressed 
classes were concerned. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MAHAD WATER TANK SATYAGRAHA (1927) 
 
 Of the attempts made to indicate the right to take water from 
the public watering places, it is enough to mention the case of 
Chavdar Tank.  This tank is situated in the town of Mahad in the 
Kolaba district of Bombay presidency.  This tank is a vast expense 
 
 
of water mainly fed by rains and natural springs.  All its sides are 
embanked around the tank there are small strips of land on all 
sides belonging to private individuals.  This tank is an old one and 
no one knows when it was built or by whom.  But in 1869 when a 
municipality was established by the Government, it was handed 
over to the municipality and since has been treated as a public 
tank.  The untouchables were not allowed to take water from this 
tank. 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar’s March to the ‘Chavdar Tank’ in Mahad, dirt 
Kolaba in 1927, was really an historic event.  With the resolution 
moved by Rao Bahadur S. K. Bole and passed by the Bombay 
legislative Council in 1926, the tank was thrown open to all 
untouchables who could not exercise their rights due to the hostility 
of the caste Hindus.  Hence, it was decided to convene a 
conference of the depressed classes at Mahad and March was 
taken to the ‘Chavdar Tank’ on 20
th
 March 1927, under the 
leadership of Dr. Ambedkar.  It was historic in the sense that for the 
First time in the history of India the untouchables demonstrated to 
assert their rights not only to fetch water but also symbolize the 
event with equal right to fetch drinking water, a gift of nature. 
However it was disliked by orthodox Hindus and they opposed this 
satyagraha. However, Dr. Ambedkar established untouchables right 
over water in 1927. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BURNING OF MANUSMRITI  
 
 The burning of Manusmriti took place at Mahad on the 25
th
 
December, 1927. The function was a part of the campaign for 
establishing the right to take water from the chavdar tank. It took 
place publicly & openly in a conference of the untouchables. 
Moreover, the resolution proposing the burning of Manusmriti was 
moved by Gangadhar Neelkanth Sahastrabuddhe, a Brahmin 
associate of Ambedkar. This event shocked all the orthodox 
Hindus, Pandits, Acharyas & Shankaracharyas of the country who 
exclaimed it as outlandish attack on their sacred Hindu scriptures. 
Dr. Ambedkar, at whose hands the smriti was burnt expressed his 
joy & demanded a new one to reshape the life of Hindus at large. 
Page 5


 
 
102
6.0 OBJECTIVES  
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a great modern social 
thinker, a born fighter, a famous advocate & a humanist. Dr 
Ambedkar, who was born in an “Untouchable” or dalit community 
called Mahar in Maharashtra, took a leading role in promoting the 
welfare of the untouchables & elevating their status.  Being the 
most highly educated untouchable in India, Dr. Ambedkar became 
the undisputed spokesman of the untouchables and depressed 
classes in India. He fought against many of the injustice done to the 
untouchables by establishing a political party & a couple of 
organisation for the upliftment of the untouchables.  
 
Pandit Nehru rightly described him as the “the greatest 
revolutionary who fought against all the oppressive features of 
Hindu Society.” 
 
 REFORMATION FOR DALITS  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar had made it clear that his main aim in life was 
to remove the practice of untouchability and to take the 
untouchables towards socio economic equality and justice. In order 
to make them socially & politically conscious he made the Dalits 
aware of the indignities heaped on them and sought to oversee 
their pride as human beings, for that he started initially many 
satyagrahas which included the demands of civil rights. There were 
the issue of public places like roads, tanks etc. He organised 
Satyagraha for temple entry also but he was very clear in his 
ultimate goal of emancipation of dalits. Infact, it was an indirect 
action to gain political and educational power for Dalits.  
 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar made an appeal to his people to change their 
style of life to suit to the needs to time. He urged them to stop the 
dragging of dead cattle, out of the village. He wanted them to give 
up eating carrion, alcoholic drinks & begging. He wanted them to 
RISE	OF	NEW	FORCES	-	I	
 
 
become literates & send their children to schools. Finally he wanted 
them to dress well & have self respect for themselves. Thus one of 
his chief aim was to bring about a revolution in the way of life of the 
untouchables & in their aspiration for themselves & their children.  
 
 In his efforts to raise the status of the untouchables, Dr, 
Ambedkar considered the caste system as one of the obstacles. He 
expressed his great disappointment with the caste system as well 
as the Varna system. He even gave a call to destroy the caste 
system in his famous book, “The Annihilation of Caste” (1936). He 
wrote in “Harijan” in 1933, “The outcaste is a by product of the 
caste system. Nothing can emancipate the outcaste except the 
destruction of the caste system”. As an expression of his 
disillusionment with Hinduism, he embraced Buddhism along with 
his followers.  
 
Dr. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR’S EVIDENCE 
BEFORE SOUTHBOROUGH COMMISSION  
 
 British Government declared that it will form responsible 
Government in India in 1917. In order to give safeguards to 
minorities to prevent their political rights, British Government 
started interviewing various leaders in India. British Parliament sent 
a committee chaired by Southborough in order take the evidences 
and decide the policy in the matter of franchise.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar submitted written evidence to 
Southborough Commission in which he demanded following rights.  
 
1) Untouchables should be given right to vote.  
2) They should be given right to contest the election.  
3) Their should be separate electorate reserved for them.  
4) Untouchable representatives of untouchables must be 
elected by untouchable voters.  
5) In an untouchable dominant constituency, they should be 
given reserved seats as per their population.  
 
 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar demanded civil rights for 
untouchables before Southborough commission and it was the first 
organized effort in modern India to start civil rights movements of 
untouchables.  
 
BAHISHKRIT HITAKARNI SABHA (1924) 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha on 
20
th
 July 1924 with an aim to spread the culture of education 
 
 
among the depressed classes. Bahishkrit means ‘Exterio’ or ‘out 
caste’. For the betterment of the interests of such people; the sabha 
started a hostel at Sholapur in January 1925. It was basically for 
the high school students whose expenses of on clothing, stationary 
& boarding were to be born by the sabha itself. The Sholapur 
municipality was kind enough to sanction a grant of Rs. 401 for the 
maintenance of the hostel. The Sabha also established an 
institution to inculcate a liking for learning and knowledge and a 
love for social service into the minds of the students of the 
depressed classes.  The students soon started conducting a 
monthly magazine called Vidya Vilas.  In addition, a free reading 
room in Bombay and Mahar Hockey Club was also started for 
recreation. The motto of the Sabha was “educate, agitate and 
organize”.  Ambedkar classified all these objectives. 
 
 On behalf of the Bahishkrit Hitakarni Sabha, Dr. Ambedkar 
submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission demanding 
joint electorates with reservation of seats for depressed classes in 
legislatures and opposed the principle of nomination.  Then on 
question of framing a constitution for India the British govt. 
convened a Round Table Conference in London in 1930 for which 
Dr. Ambedkar was also invited.  There he served on almost all the 
sub committees including Minority sub-Committee, appointed by 
the conference.  Dr. Ambedkar prepared a draft of the declaration 
of Fundamental rights safeguarding the cultural, religious and 
economic rights of the untouchables.  He also prepared a Scheme 
of Political Safeguards for the Protection of Depressed classes in 
the Future Constitution of Self governing India and submitted it to 
the minorities subcommittee.  To Dr. Ambedkar, the Round Table 
Conference laid the foundation of self Government of India and 
proved to be a successful so far as the rights of the depressed 
classes were concerned. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MAHAD WATER TANK SATYAGRAHA (1927) 
 
 Of the attempts made to indicate the right to take water from 
the public watering places, it is enough to mention the case of 
Chavdar Tank.  This tank is situated in the town of Mahad in the 
Kolaba district of Bombay presidency.  This tank is a vast expense 
 
 
of water mainly fed by rains and natural springs.  All its sides are 
embanked around the tank there are small strips of land on all 
sides belonging to private individuals.  This tank is an old one and 
no one knows when it was built or by whom.  But in 1869 when a 
municipality was established by the Government, it was handed 
over to the municipality and since has been treated as a public 
tank.  The untouchables were not allowed to take water from this 
tank. 
 
 Dr. Ambedkar’s March to the ‘Chavdar Tank’ in Mahad, dirt 
Kolaba in 1927, was really an historic event.  With the resolution 
moved by Rao Bahadur S. K. Bole and passed by the Bombay 
legislative Council in 1926, the tank was thrown open to all 
untouchables who could not exercise their rights due to the hostility 
of the caste Hindus.  Hence, it was decided to convene a 
conference of the depressed classes at Mahad and March was 
taken to the ‘Chavdar Tank’ on 20
th
 March 1927, under the 
leadership of Dr. Ambedkar.  It was historic in the sense that for the 
First time in the history of India the untouchables demonstrated to 
assert their rights not only to fetch water but also symbolize the 
event with equal right to fetch drinking water, a gift of nature. 
However it was disliked by orthodox Hindus and they opposed this 
satyagraha. However, Dr. Ambedkar established untouchables right 
over water in 1927. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BURNING OF MANUSMRITI  
 
 The burning of Manusmriti took place at Mahad on the 25
th
 
December, 1927. The function was a part of the campaign for 
establishing the right to take water from the chavdar tank. It took 
place publicly & openly in a conference of the untouchables. 
Moreover, the resolution proposing the burning of Manusmriti was 
moved by Gangadhar Neelkanth Sahastrabuddhe, a Brahmin 
associate of Ambedkar. This event shocked all the orthodox 
Hindus, Pandits, Acharyas & Shankaracharyas of the country who 
exclaimed it as outlandish attack on their sacred Hindu scriptures. 
Dr. Ambedkar, at whose hands the smriti was burnt expressed his 
joy & demanded a new one to reshape the life of Hindus at large. 
 
 
This event was symbolically rejecting the rules so specified & the 
doctrine of inequality at birth on which the caste system was based.  
It was a historic event which denied the unequal social stratification 
and demanded for social norms based on modern humanitarian 
principles.  
 
 KALARAM TEMPLE ENTRY SATYAGRAHA  
 
 As an integral part of untouchability the untouchables were 
denied entry into the Hindu temples. The Kalaram Temple at Nasik 
had been a major place of worship for the Hindu devotees of Rama. 
The untouchables desired the temple open to them being Hindus, 
but the trustees did not agree. It was therefore decided to launch an 
agitation Satyagraha for the purpose. The struggle commenced on 
2
nd
 March 1930 & continued for about a month. During the 
Satyagraha, a fatal life attack on Dr. Ambedkar was made & a 
fighting of the untouchables & touchable took place. As a result the 
trustees closed down the temple for a year. On the temple entry 
movement, Ambedkar remarked that he did not actually want to 
enter the temple & touch the feet of the deity but wanted to assert 
the right of the untouchables of temple entry, because they claimed 
to be Hindus. Kalaram Temple Entry Satyagraha was another civil 
rights movement planned by Dr. Ambedkar to establish the civil 
rights of backward caste. 
 
 DR. AMBEDKAR’S ROLE IN THE BOMBAY  
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar was appointed as representative of 
untouchables in the Bombay Legislative Assembly. Dr. Ambedkar 
was involved in work of Start Committee, which was constituted by 
a resolution in Assembly to formulate policy regarding educational, 
financial and social development of untouchables and tribal people.  
 
 Dr. Ambedkar visited Belgaon, Khandesh and Nasik and 
observed the conditions of these castes. He made valuable 
suggestion’s to the committee.  
 
ROUND TABLE CONFERENCES AND POONA 
PACT 
 
To frame the future Constitution of India the British govt. 
convened a Round Table Conference in London in 1930 for which 
Dr. Ambedkar was also invited. He was present for all the three 
conferences and raised the issues of Dalits at international level.