57
MAHAR WATAN IS HEARTLESS EXPLOITATION
To see the prospect of a Satyagraha movement and general strike throughout the Province of Bombay for redressal of the numerous grievances of the Mahar and Mang Watandars a conference of watandars was held at Ahmednagar* during the week end under the Presidentship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
Almost all the Independent Labour Party members of the Legislative Assembly were present.
Tracing the origin of the institution of village Officers Dr. Ambedkar said,
During the Maratha regime there used to be 12 different officers like Patel, Kulkarni, Desai, Nhavi (barbar), Sutar (carpenter), Musalman, etc. to whom were assigned specific duties for the performance of which they were given lands free of revenue.
With the advent of the British the system of payment through watan lands was abolished in all cases except that of the Mahars. People with regular salaries were appointed in their places.
“What is interesting about this process of abolition of the old system” said Dr. Ambedkar, “is that in hundreds of cases the ex-Patels, Kulkarnis, Talatis, etc. while relieved of their official duties were allowed to retain their lands and the increase in land revenue that was made in their watan lands was only nominal. Thus the Government today are virtually paying lakhs of rupees to the decendents of these village officers though they have no village duties to discharge.”
As against this was the fate of the Mahar Watandars, and almost every Mahar is a Watandar. The British did not abolish this hereditary office. The Mahars continued to discharge their duties as before but the concessional land revenue of “ Judi ” as it is called was increased.
- At Haregaon, Taluqua Kopargaon Dist. Ahmednagar on 16th December
1939 as published in Janata, dated 23rd December 1939.