228 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
“I have directed for these many years bitter and virulent attacks on the Hindu society and its numerous evils, but I can assure you that I shall direct attacks a hundred-fold more bitter, more virulent, more deadly . . . . . against the British than I have ever done against the Hindus if my loyalty is going to be exploited for crushing my own people and taking away from them the last dry bone from which they draw their barest sustenance.”
“I want to tell the British authorities that their rule over this province is due to us, that it was the Mahar regiments that destroyed the Peshwa rule and established British raj in this province.
The Mahars won Maharashtra for the British. What did they get for the services? Nothing.
This watandari has become a curse to the Mahars. It ties them down to eternal poverty. It saps their self-respect. It keeps them degraded.
All that we say is We don’t want your watandari. Relieve us from your service. Levy the full land revenue on our lands and engage men on the basis of monthly payment as you have done for other village services.
That has been my demand for these 20 years. What do we get instead? Far from being relieved of the services, additional duties are imposed on the watandars and additional “judi” levied on them.
It is a monstrosity that I will not tolerate. I challenge the British authorities to do their worst.
I tell them here and finally that they will not get a pie of the additional duty from us. Let them do their worst.
As for you, watandars, my instructions are plain. You must resist payment of the additional duty no matter what the consequences. If they attach your houshold goods, or your cattle you must do everything to prevent their taking away the goods and cattle.