MAHAD SATYAGRAHA 33
In the great Guruka Bagh struggle there was at least the wholehearted and unanimous sympathy of the public with the Sikh Satyagrahis. In the Mahad affair it was not so. The leaders of the Orthodox Hindus refused to listen to the words of advice of the bosses of Poona or even of the Hindu Sabhawalas. Those same leaders though discomfited and repulsed, would not take up a strong attitude in favour of the Mahar Satyagrahis when it came to the actual assertion of rights. What had to be postponed can now be taken up again.
The Next Campaign
And it is going to be taken up again, this time with far less risk and far greater chances of success. After the return of Dr. Ambedkar, who had been to Mahad for the case, after delivering his well-informed budget criticism, a public meeting was held in the Damodar Thakarsey Hall, Parel, on Sunday
26th instant.
Dr. Ambedkar in a lucid speech explained the situation as it existed on that day and told his followers to consider the earliest date on which to launch the campaign again. The meeting was attended by more than a thousand members of the Depressed Classes. The hall was packed and on the dais were a few Caste-Hindu Friends of the so-called Untouchables besides a majority of prominent members of the latter classes.
The majority of speeches were by these and were full of sincerity and devotion to their leader Dr. Ambedkar. One of the speakers spoke with the greatest impression because he was amongst those who were assaulted by Caste-Hindus sometime in March last when the first attempt was made to take water from the now famous tank.
At that time it was recklessly circulated that hides were washed in the tank and this assaulted gentleman being a cobbler by caste the story was taken up and a wanton assault was perpetrated on him. As another speaker explained water was actually drawn by him and the assault went vicariously to that other gentleman, whose name is Rajbhoj and who was humourously called Bhoj Raja. One could clearly see life in the meeting of Sunday last.