Sambhav-2025

Approach Provide a brief introduction to these two prominent leaders. Explain their contrasting approaches. Conclude with the lasting legacy of both leaders.

Introduction

The downtrodden communities in India, particularly those subjected to the caste system, have long faced social, economic, and political oppression. Two of the most prominent leaders who fought for their rights were Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. Although both were deeply concerned with the welfare of marginalized communities, their approaches to addressing these issues were fundamentally different.

Body

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Approach: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s approach to addressing the problems of the downtrodden was rooted in political empowerment and legal reform.

• Political and Legal Framework: He believed that caste-based discrimination could only be eradicated through a combination of political representation, legal safeguards, and institutional changes.
  • His advocacy for affirmative action policies like reservations in education, employment, and politics was a cornerstone of his approach to empowering the downtrodden.
• Political Mobilization: Ambedkar believed that only through political power could the downtrodden achieve true equality and justice.
  • He formed the Bahushkrit Hitakarani Sabha in 1924 with the motto of “educate, agitate and organise”, the focus being on mobilising the masses.
  • On August 15, 1936, he formed the Independent Labour Party to safeguard the interest of the depressed classes, which mostly formed the labour population.
  • In 1942, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar founded the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation, his second political party, aimed at representing the interests and rights of the Scheduled Castes
• Critique of Hinduism: He viewed the caste system as deeply embedded in Hindu religious practices and, therefore, sought to remove the downtrodden from its fold.
  • Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 to challenge the regressive customs of the caste Hindus.
  • In 1956, he converted to Buddhism, an act of political and social defiance against the Hindu caste order.

Gandhiji’s Approach: Mahatma Gandhi’s approach was based on moral and social reform..

• Harijan Movement: Gandhi coined the term “Harijan” to refer to the untouchables, whom he regarded as children of God.
  • During the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25) in Kerala, Gandhi advocated for the rights of untouchables to access temples and public roads, challenging caste-based restrictions.
• Non-Violence and Social Harmony: Gandhi sought to eliminate untouchability and caste discrimination by changing the hearts and minds of people, particularly within Hindu society, through non-violence, truth, and social inclusion
  • He encouraged the upper castes to practice humility and to accept the downtrodden into society without discrimination.
• Reforming Hinduism: Gandhi believed that the solution to caste discrimination lay in reforming Hinduism itself. He argued that the sanctity of Hinduism was not in the caste system, but in its ethical and spiritual teachings.

Conclusion

The Poona Pact (1932) between Gandhi and Ambedkar stands out as a defining moment. While Gandhi sought to avoid separate electorates for Dalits, Ambedkar ensured political representation through reserved seats, marking a compromise between their ideologies.Their differing approaches—one rooted in spiritual and social transformation, the other in legal and political solutions—reflect the complex and multi-dimensional struggle for the rights and dignity of India’s marginalized communities.