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WE ARE A WARRIOR CLAN
The second session of Ratnagiri District Bahishkrit Parishad under the auspices of Bhartiya Bahishkrit Samaj Sewak Sangh was held on Saturday the 13th April 1929 at
4.30 p.m. at Chiplun under the Presidentship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Deorao Naik, editor “ Samata ”, S. N. Shivatarkar, D. V. Pradhan, S. S. Gupte, B. R. Kadrekar also attended this Conference. About eight thousand men and women assembled for the Conference. [1]
“ The situation at the time of Conference was tense. “ Great efforts had to be made for securing a site for the Conference pandal. Fear lurked in the minds of the Orthodox Hindus that there would be a repetition of the Mahad incident, and the Untouchable Hindus might pollute their wells if the Conference was held in their town. So they closed their wells with great care and caution as if there were an enemy raid. Dr. Ambedkar and his colleagues stayed for two days at the Dak Bungalow in Chiplun.
Men of progressive leanings like Vinayakrao Barve and B. G. Khatu, two local pleaders, attended the Conference. Omswami Ragji welcomed the delegates and stressed the necessity for a broader outlook on the part of the Caste Hindus.
In his Presidential address to the Conference Dr. Ambedkar said, “ You must abolish your slavery yourselves. It is disgraceful to live at the cost of one’s self-respect. Self-respect is a most vital factor in life. Without it man is a mere cipher. To live worthily with self-respect one has to overcome difficulties. It is out of hard and ceaseless struggle alone that one derives strength, confidence and recognition.” He then referred to the land system of Konkan called Khoti, which sucked their blood, and promised them to strive his utmost for the abolition of that system. Telling them that he was prepared to go through any
1 : Bahishkrit Bharat, dated 3rd May 1929.