MAHAD SATYAGRAHA 39
Following is the Police Report of the meeting held at Bombay after dissolution of injunction—
“ Untouchables and Satyagrah at Mahad
A public meeting of the Depressed Classes was held at Damodar Thakersey Hall on February 26th when G. N. Sahasrabudhe presided over an audience about 500 people.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who was the principal speaker, said that as the Sub-Judge of the Mahad Court had dissolved the interim injunction against him and the Satyagraha Party, he would leave the question of resuming Satyagraha to the discretion of the Satyagraha Committee of Bombay.
Views expressed by “Indian National Herald” after cancellation of injunction—
“COMMON HUMAN RIGHTS
The Sub-Judge of Mahad having dissolved the temporary injunction issued by him against Dr. Ambedkar and other leaders of the Depressed Classes, the latter, it is understood, propose to assert their civic right to draw water from the public tank at Mahad. When in March last members of the Depressed Classes, who had previously met in a conference at the place, attempted to approach the tank they were roughly handled by the “higher” Caste Hindus, a few Chamars sustaining severe injuries. The leaders of these “higher” Caste Hindus then sought an injunction under section 144 Cr. P. C. from the District Collector, on the ground that the attempt of the “Untouchables” to take water from the tank, in contravention of the existing customary ban on them would spell danger to public peace.
The Collector, refused to take any action. They then applied to the Sub-Judge and succeeded in obtaining from him a temporary injunction against the leaders of the “Untouchables” and consequently the contemplated Satyagraha and march to the tank in a body with a view to draw water from it in defiance of the “Higher” Castes, had to be abandoned. Now, however the Sub-Judge has dissolved the injunction, declaring himself satisfied from the evidence that “any interference with the exercise of such