12 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Veereshwar to consider the question of the purification of the tank. They had a remedy for purifying any damned and polluted earthly thing. To them a mixture of cow- dung, cow-urine, curd and water was the potent remedy for all manner of pollution. Accordingly water in one hundred and eight earthern pots was taken out from the tank. These pots full of curd, cow-dung, milk and cow- urine were dipped in the tank in the midst of air-rending Mantras uttered by Brahmin priests, the elect. It was then declared that water was purified for the use of the caste Hindus. Of course, Mohammadans and Christians had nothing to do with the act or process of purification. For, in their eyes human touch did not pollute water. They used the water of the tank as before without any interruption.*
The news of the so-called purification of the Chawdar Tank lacerated the hearts of the Depressed Classes, and so deep was the wound on Dr. Ambedkar’s heart that he grew indignant and decided to launch a satyagraha struggle for the vindication of his people’s rights. Some feared that this ‘impatient’ remedy was worse than the disease. Dr. Ambedkar, in a mood of righteous indignation, replied that mere spread of education and exposition of the scriptures would not be able to root out that age- long diesease. The disease, he said, was deep-rooted and merely dressing it with bandages of knowledge or ingenuous schemes would not cure it. Deadly diseases required drastic remedies.
Accordingly, it was announced on June 26, 1927, in the Bahishkrit Bharat that those members of the Depressed Classes who wanted to wash out the stigma of pollution attached to their whole class by the Mahad Hindus by their act of purification of the Tank, and who wanted to denounce the act of assaults committed on their representatives for having taken water from the Chawdar Tank, should enlist themselves at the office of the
*See Appendices-I, II and III.