20
DO NOT DEPEND UPON GOD OR SUPERMAN
“On Saturday, the 4th March 1933 at 9.30 p.m. the meeting of Untouchables was held, on the ground of G. I. P. Railway Quarters (near Bombay Sandoharst Road). Punjaji Jadhao proposed the name of Shri R. D. Kawali, B. A., LL. B., for presidentship and was seconded by Shri Kardak. The meeting was arranged in order to present the address duly signed by
85 persons to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. For this purpose a vast pandal was erected which was fully occupied. Distinguished leaders like Shivatarkar, Naik, Sahastrabuddhe, Diwakar Pagare, Upshyam, Kamalakant Chitre, Meshram etc., attended the meeting.” [1]
Diwakar Pagare presented the address in honour of Dr. Ambedkar.
While replying the address, Dr. Ambedkar said,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
“I thank you for the address you have presented to me.
This address is full of superlatives about my work and qualities. It means you are deifying a common man like you. These ideas of hero-worship will bring ruin on you if you do not nip them in the bud. By deifying an individual, you repose faith for your safety and salvation in one single individual with the result that you get into the habit of dependence and grow indifferent to your duty. If you fall a victim to these ideas, your fate will be no better than logs of wood in the national stream of life. Your struggle will come to naught.”
“Do not disregard,” he continued, “the political rights, the new epoch has bestowed upon you. Your whole class was trampled down up-till now because you were filled with ideas of helplessness. I may add that these ideas of hero-worship, deification and neglect of duty have ruined Hindu Society and are responsible for the degradation of our country.” “In other countries,” he observed. “during a national calamity and
1 : Janata, dated 11th March 1933.