z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-06.indd MK SJ+YS 21-9-2013/YS-8-11-2013 447
SAFEGUARDS FOR DEPRESSED CLASSES 447
ANNEXURE A
Item No. 1
(From the Times of India 8th February 1928)
NO UPLIFT FOR ANTYAJAS
As a landmark in the rapid progress of Indian social reform, a lecture delivered last month by Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Ananta Krishna Shastri (Professor, Calcutta University) to an audience of Sanatanist (orthodox) Agrawal Marwadis of Bombay in the local Nara-Narayan temple, deserves to be rescued from unmerited oblivion. The subject of the discourse was “The way to uplift the Patits (i.e. ‘fallen’ untouchables)”, and the chair was graced by Shri Jagadguru Anantacharya Maharaj of the new Vaishnav temple in Bombay. The lecturer proved by citations from the Shastras that the various castes have always been in existence and will continue so to exist till the end of all time. He added that those who talk of uplifting the “Fallen” (Antyajas) are merely talking, and that, in fact, there is no way of uplifting the Antyajas in the sense of getting them admitted into any of the four castes or taking them out of their present social position.
ORTHODOX GENEROSITY
The learned lecturer suggested the only possible way of uplifting the “unupliftable Fallen”, namely, generously restoring to them some of their inalienable professions at present encroached upon by unthinking and unorthodox caste people. “In this 20th century,” said the Mahamahopadhyaya, “people on getting up in the morning sit down to clean their costly shoes instead of performing their appointed morning ritual. Next they sit down to shave themselves. And instead of cleaning their teeth in the Swadeshi style (i.e., with twigs of babool, etc.), they sit down to rub powder on their teeth with brushes. By doing all these things they deprive Mochis (cobblers), Hajams (barbers), and tooth-stick sellers of their livelihood. Let everyone do his duty according to Dharma and rest content. This is the only way to bring about the uplift of the Antyajas,—let those who have deprived these Fallen people of their means of livelihood restore it to them.”
Item No. 2
(From the Times of India 2nd March 1928)
ANTYAJAS IN INDIA
But, the patriots will protest, all this happened in British India, not in Indian India. Well, we know what happened to Balais only the other day in a big Central India Native State for wearing gold and silver ornaments and absurdly presuming to behave like touchable caste Hindus. And this is what the Saurashtra reports about the Antyajas in Baroda territory where the Maharaja himself sympathises so deeply with these unfortunates : “The order to admit Antyaja boys into Gujarati schools is on paper only. In nearly