In the context of Dalit movements during the colonial era, the Adi Hin...
The Adi Hindu Movement in 1922 was launched by Swami Acchutanand in the context of Dalit movements during the colonial era.
Background
- The colonial era in India witnessed various social and political movements that aimed to address the issues of discrimination and oppression faced by marginalized communities, including the Dalits.
- Dalits, also known as untouchables or Scheduled Castes, were subjected to severe social and economic discrimination based on their caste identity.
- Many reformers and leaders emerged during this time to fight for the rights and upliftment of Dalits, and the Adi Hindu Movement was one such significant movement.
Swami Acchutanand
- Swami Acchutanand, also known as Swami Achhutanand Harihar, was a prominent Dalit leader and social reformer in the early 20th century.
- He was born in 1899 in Uttar Pradesh and belonged to the Valmiki community, which is considered a Scheduled Caste in the Indian caste system.
- Swami Acchutanand was deeply influenced by the teachings of social reformers like Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who advocated for the rights and empowerment of Dalits.
The Adi Hindu Movement
- The Adi Hindu Movement was launched by Swami Acchutanand in 1922 with the objective of addressing the social, economic, and political issues faced by Dalits.
- The term "Adi Hindu" refers to the original inhabitants of India, including Dalits, who were considered the lowest in the caste hierarchy.
- The movement aimed to unite Dalits and create awareness about their rights, dignity, and social equality.
- Swami Acchutanand emphasized the need for education, upliftment, and empowerment of Dalits as a means to challenge the oppressive caste system.
Key Objectives and Activities
- The Adi Hindu Movement focused on the following key objectives:
- Mobilizing Dalits to assert their rights and challenge social discrimination.
- Promoting education among Dalits and establishing schools and educational institutions.
- Encouraging Dalit entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
- Advocating for political representation and rights for Dalits.
- Swami Acchutanand organized various conferences, public meetings, and social gatherings to spread awareness about the movement's objectives and gain support.
- He also launched a newspaper called "Adi Hindu" to disseminate information and create a platform for Dalit voices.
Legacy and Significance
- The Adi Hindu Movement played a crucial role in raising awareness about the rights and struggles of Dalits during the colonial era.
- It laid the foundation for future Dalit movements and inspired many leaders to continue the fight against caste-based discrimination.
- Swami Acchutanand's efforts contributed to the larger Dalit movement in India, which eventually led to the inclusion of provisions for Scheduled Castes in the Indian Constitution and the implementation of affirmative action policies.
Overall, the Adi Hindu Movement launched by Swami Acchutanand in 1922 was a significant step towards addressing the social, economic, and political issues faced by Dalits during the colonial era. The movement aimed to empower Dalits, raise awareness about their rights, and challenge the oppressive caste system. Swami Acchutanand's leadership and efforts continue
In the context of Dalit movements during the colonial era, the Adi Hin...
Adi-movements emerged as a radicalized attempt by Scheduled Castes or Dalits in the 20th century aiming towards the removal of social evil practices of Indian society which were discriminatory and exploitative in nature. During 1920-30s a new kind of ideology emerged known as Adi , where Adi means original and it became common usage for those who were earlier known as untouchables or Dalit. Through this term, they identify themselves as the original inhabitants or indigenous population of India. This was spread across the southern and northern parts of pre-independent India and the areas affected by it were Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In 1922, Swami Acchutanand launched the Adi Hindu movement to bring awareness among Hindus. o According to him Aryans defeated the indigenous Kings of India and deceitfully branded indigenous inhabitants of India as Dalit and destroyed their culture and established Hindu social order based on their principles.
- He also organized various public events to take the movement forward. From 1922 to 1930, he organized eight national conventions, three special conventions, 15 provincial conventions and hundreds of district-level conventions of the Adi-Hindu movement.
- Swami Acchutanand was against the reformation works of Arya and Brahmo Samaj because according to him both of these social organizations were not dealing directly with the cause of untouchability and were containing the elements of Brahmanism which again was discriminating Dalit in gaining full equality and justice.
- Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.