RELATION BETWEEN AMBEDKAR AND MARXISTS ( PART -1 )
Relations between Ambedkar and Communists is tortuous task for research scholars and it is disappointing and frustating for the activists and for the persons desirous of convergence between the two.
We know that both the movements were parallel to one another and there were few occasions where they corresponded with each other. During Dr. Ambedkar's lifetime and during post Ambedkar period there is complete lack of conciliation. Let us try to examine and analyse this untoward lack of conciliation.
For sake of study, let us divide the history of these movements into five phases ranging between 1920 to 1964. During these five phases these movements sprang up, flourished and collapsed.
1) The comprises a period from 2019 to 1929,
2) The second phase consists of a period from 1930to 1933,
3)The third one is composed of a period from 1934 to 1939,
4)The fourth phase starts from 1940 to 1947 and
5) The last phase i.e. the fifth Phase begins from 1948 and ands in 1964.
Before we go to the first phase we will have a brief review of the antecedents which go into the making of these movements.
1) The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 and the Muslims began opposing the Congress since 1904 and the Muslim League was formed in 1906. In the same year of 1906 in Maharashtra Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde founded Depressed Classes Mission to impart education to Dalits and to work against untouchability on national level.
2) In 1909 the Indian Council Act was passed which is also known as Morley Minto Reforms. These reforms were intended to placate the moderates in the Congress and because of this Act seperate electorates were allowed to Muslims and Anglo-Indians on the basis of religion. The dalits were ignored.
The Indian Council Act, 1909 allowed representatives to be elected by landlords, traders, industrialists, universities, organisations and other local bodies.
3) Under the conservative leadership of digital B. G. Tilak in 1916 the Congress effected Lucknow Pact to concede to the Muslims representation in various legislatures.
4) In 1916 Dr. Ambedkar wrote his paper "Castes in India" when he was 25 years old and in that paper he stated, " castes are closed classes". and in 1917 he came to India and joined services of Maharaja of Baroda according to scholarship contract but soon he returned to Bombay due to ill treatment on account of caste discrimination .
At this time the Congress leadership was in the hands of B G Tilak and upper caste people who were dogmatically religious and averse to social reforms. The leadership wanted to lead the movement on the basis of religion and superstitions. Tilak organised " gorakshan Samitis" and started celebrating Ganesh festival and Shivaji jayanti publically and this led Muslims to defect from Congress.
5) Montague, the Secretary of State for India, in August 1917 declared that the Indians would be granted political rights in instalments so as to develop autonomous bodies in India.
The Indians were to be given political rights in ratio of their percentage in population and this activated the Congress to woo 18% dalits and the Congress passed in its annual session the first resolution to ameliorate the conditions of the dalits. The Congress was was founded in 1885 and after 32 years it passed its first resolution regarding Dalits.
6) In 1917, October Revolution happened in Russia and several splinter Marxist groups sprang up in Mumbai, Kolkata, Madras and Lahore and they began working among peasants and workers.
7) In 1918, Ambedkar got appointed as professor of political economy in Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai and Gandhiji, in Gujarat, was canvassing for recruitment to British army. At this time, the communists were in infantile stage.
8) On 23rd and 24th March in 1918, Maharshi Shinde had organised a two-day conference under the banner of the Depressed Classes Miission and under the chairmanship of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad. The conference, on second day, passed a resolution that the participants would not practice untouchability in personal life. About 380 leaders signed the resolution but Tilak refused to sign the same.
9) In 1919, Lenin formed Third International and appeal to colonial people to oppose imperialism. The Indian Communists thought that the Congress was the main anti-imperialist force and they supported the Congress instead of working independent of the Congress.
10) In consonance with the declaration of Montague, the Southborough Committee visited India in January 1919 and Doctor Ambedkar gave his testimony before the Southborough Committee, demanding representation to dalits in proportion of their population, right to vote and separate electorates.
Finally the untouchables got 22 seats.
( To follow )
by Adv. Uttam Jagirdar.
