Part 1: Ruling castes’ betrayal of adivasis

By Waman Meshram, National President, Bharat Mukti Morcha

Betrayals by Gandhi and Congress

On 17^th August 1932 communal award was declared. At time Dr.Ambedkar fought against British and won four rights. Right to proportionate representation, Right to Separate electorate, Right to vote twice (dual voting), and Right to Adult Franchise. Gandhi was not at all supporter of adult franchise. His opinion was that suggestions of local Kings must be taken into consideration, and they must be granted right to decide whether people in their respective kingdoms must have right to vote or otherwise.

Gandhiji on the one hand was carrying on the freedom struggle and on the other hand he himself was of the opinion that kings must be given right to decide on the future of subjects in kingdoms all over India. If Kings must have right to decide whether subjects in their kingdoms should have right to vote or not then what is the meaning of freedom? Subjects has right to decide about their own future and that’s why had said in round table conference that Kings have no right to decide on future of their subjects. This issue is linked with system. Adequate representation means representation proportionate to the population. Separate electorate was very important right. There was an arrangement made in this system that people gets true representatives.

In England only the educated and tax payers had right to education. Dr. Babasaheb said that in India all the adults above the age of 21 years must have right to vote irrespective whether they taxes or not, whether they are educated or not. When we don’t have right to property then how will the one without education and property vote? If this is made the basis of voting then our people will not get anything.

That’s why Babasaheb Ambedkar achieved right to adult franchise.  Through right to vote twice (right to dual voting) representatives of SC, ST could be elected in separate electorate and in second round of voting there would be arrangement to vote for upper caste representatives (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vyashya) Hindus. From separate constituency our real representative will get elected. If Brahmins has to get elected from these constituencies then he will have to come to our door, and beg for vote.

Those who kept us enslaved for thousands of years will come to us to ask for votes. One who asks does not have strength but strength lies with one who gives. When higher caste men will come to us to ask for vote then will ask him, ‘Do you want vote?’ He will say ‘Yes’. Then we will say ‘What you do; you have created untouchability, we give you fifteen days to end untouchability, end and come back to us to ask for vote. Whether to vote for you not we will think then.’ The intention of Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar behind achieving right to dual voting was to end untouchability.

It did not take long for Gandhi to understand this. Gandhiji thought if this idea of Dr. Ambedkar succeeds then slavery will end. I am not carrying on the freedom struggle to free untouchables but to free my people. If (untouchables) SC and ST get their freedom so easily then where will we stand? Keeping this mind Gandhiji went on fast unto death in order to oppose the fundamental rights of our people won by Dr.Ambedkar. Right to vote twice through separate electorates was ended and joint electorate enforced, and this is in force till today.

When elections took place in 1946 and it banned for true representatives to get elected then those people indulging dalals and bhadwas got elected. The memorandum titled ‘States and Minorities’ in 1946, Dr. Ambedkar wrote and submitted to Constituent Assembly, in this document he use the ‘Agents’ to these dalals and bhadwas. The meaning of ‘Agent’ is mediator, in sanskritized hindi it means dalal and bhadwas.

Babasaheb totally and strongly opposed joint electorate system that emerged as a consequence of Poona Pact. He just not opposed but also sent written protest letter to British government, and when his protest letter did not bore desired results then he organsed ‘Jail Bharo’ andolan against Poona Pact. Master Mansingh from Agra (U.P) who was also jailed then is still alive.

In 1946 Lord Wavell was Governor-General of India. He declared in his radio speech that when British will be leaving India that time as per British government policy they will share and divide power amongst three parts. One share will go to Muslims, second share will go to Hindus, and third share will go to SC and ST. On the recommendation of Dr.Ambedkar British did recognize SC and ST as Hindus. Their separate identity was recognized. British gave this recognition on 17 August 1932.  When Lord Wavell made this speech on radio then Gandhi sent telegram to Wavell objecting to this policy.

Gandhi had two hands; one was Sardar Patel and second Jawaharlal Nehru. After Mountbatten convinced, both were ready to create Pakistan. Mountbatten thought that I personally speak to Gandhi then he would not agree. That’s why he formulated the strategy that Gandhi’s two combatant hands must be snapped.  As per this strategy when Mountbatten convinced Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru then Gandhi was restless.

After this Gandhi was called for dialogue. Gandhi knew that there will be discussion on India-Pakistan partition that’s why before going he discussed with Maulana Azad and asked him that if I opposed partition of India they whom will you support? Why Gandhi asked this question to Maulana Azad? This is because Maulana Azad was then President of Congress Party. Gandhi already knew that Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru have already decided to support Mountbatten. When Gandhi asked his personal opinion to Maulana Azad then Maulana Azad said ‘if you oppose partition of India then I will support you. After taking support from Maulana Azad, Gandhi went to meet Mountbatten.

Cooler was on at the house of Mountbatten and Gandhi wanted to establish himself a Mahatma. When Gandhi stated shivering with cold, Mountbatten’s wife observed that Gandhi is unable to tolerate cold temperature, she gave her shawl to Gandhi. All this is recorded in a book titled ‘Freedom at mid night’. Gandhi and Mountbatten wanted to discuss India partition. No one knows as to what discussion took place between these two. May be that no one knows details of the discussions between these two but the decision of this discussion is known to us.

The first important decision taken between these two is that in the process of transfer of power SC and ST will not have their share. This message reached to Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar from the medium of British that’s how he came to know that they will not get their share. How did this happen?  This must have been investigated by Babasaheb. He must have come to know that between Gandhi and Mountbatten compromise has been struck. Now the question arises as to what is the nature of this compromise?

Lets imagine that when Gandhi and Mountbatten met together then Mountbatten must have asked Gandhi ‘What is your opinion on Partition?’ Then Gandhi must have said ‘there is no change in my opinion. Even today I am opposed to partition. My body could be cut into pieces but I will not agree for partition.’ This point is clear. Yet Gandhi was a bania and also Mountbatten too was bania. East India Company had come to India for the sake of business. In this sense those who run companies are Banias. When two bania meet together then the talk is of business. Gandhi must have said to Mountbatten ‘if I become ready to make Pakistan then what will you give me in return?’ Those who are clever diplomats never speak anything from their own mouth but try to get things out from the mouth of the one who is sitting in front of them. When asked counter question then Gandhi must have said ‘According to the British policy of transfer of power SC-ST will get a third share and this was said by Lord Wavell in his speech. Then I had sent him telegram to you’ll opposing this. When right of separate electorate was granted on 17 August 1932 that time too I was opposed to it and I oppose it even today. I am not in favor of granting any kind of rights to SC, ST people. If you get prepared to deny them the third share then I can to agree for Pakistan. Mountbatten must have never thought that this Himalaya like man can melt so easily.

Mountbatten immediately agreed to the conditions of Gandhi. When Mountbatten came to India as Governor-General then he has taken assurance from then Prime Minister Clement Atlee that he will not object to his decisions. After agreeing to the conditions of Gandhi Mountbatten informed Clement Atlee that Gandhi has agreed for India partition and he has accepted Gandhi’s condition of denying share to SC, ST people in transfer of power. That’s why you have to agree to this decision of mine. British informed about this to Dr.Ambedkar and after getting this information Dr.Ambedkar went to England. This time it was the government of Labour Party in England and Churchill was the leader of the Opposition. It did not take long for Dr.Ambedkar to realize that Clement Atlee (Leader of the Labour Party) are not ready to listen to our grievances. He tried to meet up with the representatives of the government to put forth his view that time he came to know that these people are not going to listen to him. Then he went to Churchill and met him. That time government was of Labour Party and Churchill was the Leader of the Opposition. Churchill replied to Dr.Ambedkar and said “Now it is not my government, I sympathize with you. If there was my government then I would have done justice with you. At the most I can oppose this in Parliament.” Due to efforts of Gandhi the third share meant for SC, ST in transfer of power was denied to us. Evidence for this is emerging in front of us.

Based on this evidence we can that between Gandhi and Mountbatten only this discussion took place. If this discussion did not take place then how come third share would have ended? If it ended then the discussion must have been like this only.

Gandhi though it was better to agree for Pakistan but he felt it was bad to grant rights to SC and ST people. From this it can be estimated as to what was the level of Gandhi’s Mahatmahood. Why Dr.Ambedkar did not believed Gandhi as Mahatma? This is so because Dr.Ambedkar was well versed with Gandhi’s all the inside story.

This means Gandhi directly offered sacrifice of SC and ST people. According to the scriptures of Brahmins no big task of Brahmins finds luck till SC, or ST or OBC people are sacrificed. Mountbatten was very satisfied because Gandhi had agreed for the creation of Pakistan.

When Dr.Ambedkar went to Gandhi and put forth his view on joint electorates that time Gandhi so easily said ‘Dr.Ambedkar, there is no common ground between you and me and that why there is no point in holding any discussion.’

Gandhi refused even to hold discussion with Dr.Ambedkar on the interests of SC and ST people. In this way joint electorate came in force in Independent India. According to this election procedure SC and ST have nearly 125 MP and 1050 MLAs from reserved seats and they are transformed by ruling castes as their agents (Dalals and Bhadwas).

Due to Gandhi we are living a life of slavery in Independent India. Those who are elected to the constituent assembly from the reserved seats in the name of SC and ST, they took our name and represented ruling castes. That’s why Dr.Ambedkar found himself alone in the Constituent Assembly. He succeeded in providing reservation to the people of SC and ST community, and some other matters. That time OBC people were under great influence of Gandhi. Indirectly Gandhi sacrificed rights of OBC people too. If that time Dr.Ambedkar was more powerful leader than Gandhi than he would have granted constitutional rights to OBC people by which there would have been no infringement on SC, ST people nor it would have created any sort of difficulties; as a result Brahmin would have weakened in this process.

As far as Adivasis are concerned, where are adivasis connected? And if adivasis is not connected then how will they succeed? Why they do not have the strength of their own? Why on own strength do not succeed? Why are they not able to find solutions to their own problems by succeeding in their own strength? It is the need of the hour that adivasis understand the moves of their enemy properly. There should not be any type of illusion in understanding the enemy moves. This is so because our enemy (ruling castes) always proliferate illusions in society. As long as enemy does not spread illusions till then he will not succeed in confusing us. If awakening is created amongst adivasis then the thoughts will be contested based on ideology. Policy is contested with policy. With illusion different positions are evolved.

People from different stands and thoughts begin to clash with each other. When these clashes take place that time society’s capacity to fight back weakens. If fought in weak state then defeat comes about. When defeated due to fight in weakness society instead of succeeding tastes failures.

Despair spreads in society due to failure. Spread of despair results in hopelessness. The result of hopelessness is that society surrenders in front of the enemy. After this people of that society believe that now nothing is possible.

Adivasis is connected with enemy (ruling caste). If he has to be connected then first he has to be disconnected from where he is connected. To disconnect adivasis means he has to be separated from the enemy. He has to be removed out of enemy clutches.

In this process there is a process of disconnecting from the enemy and another process of connecting adivasis with our agitation. To separate from the enemy we have to awaken the people. We have to expose the dealings of enemy with us.

It is a history of adivasis that for the past 59 years nearly 99% adivasis have stayed connected with Congress Party. Why did they connect with Congress party? This is because they were connected to Gandhi. Gandhi put Thakkar Bappa on a mission to fool adivasis. Thakkar Bappa was Lohan bania from Saurashtra (Gujarat) and Gandhi was modd bania from Surashtra. There is saying in Surashtra Kodd Saro par modd nahi sara. Modd bania is so dangerous. Gandhi was modd bania. On the recommendation of Gandhi Thakkar Bappa started campaigning amongst adivasis; connected them with Gandhi. Because they were connected to Gandhi they got connected to Congress.

Till yesterday those who were connected with Congress were disconnected from Gandhi -though with great difficulty - by BJP, RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and connected with Ram. The reserved ST seats in which if Congress granted ticket even to an Ass was getting elected, now after being connected to Ram, BJP adivasis candidates are getting elected. When Adivasis was connected to Gandhi and they got connected to Congress, after that they were connected to Ram and they got connected to Ram.

Hundreds of Pathaks, Santas, Mahantas were put on the job to connect Adivasis with BJP. There used to the information spread that in such and such village there is preaching of Ram Katha by so and so Santa and adivasis will be given khir-Puri to eat. Why? That’s because our enemy knows that adivasis can be lured by Khir-Puri in order to listen to Ram Katha. Even when they are lured to eat khir-Puri even then they are not given khir-puri so easily; they are compelled to sit for three hours listening to Ram Katha. Khir adulterated with water is then fed to Adivasis and their mind is destroyed. Currently this program is ongoing.

When Jawaharlal Nehru reigned in as India’s Prime Minister he would regularly go the adivasis area. After going there he would participate in adivasis traditional dances and dance round along with them. Jawaharlal had one specialty and that is he would plan to take people from film division along with him in forest so that his film be recorded while dancing with adivasis. This means that he was going to adivasis area with a plan.

After that people from film division would produce a film of Nehru dancing with adivasis. This film of Jawaharlal Nehru dancing with adivasis was then screened in theaters 5 or 10 minutes before the feature film begins.

Then he would publish this news in all the national newspapers. There newspaper would print articles and editorial on this. Through these articles it was tried to establish that such a great personality is going to adivasis and dancing with them. He would create trust amongst adivasis and after building trust he would include them in National Ganges of development. What type of development? Such a development through which adivasis has reached first rank of death through malnutrition and hunger. This is result of his development.

When Indira Gandhi took over as Prime Minister then she also tried to find out as for the welfare of adivasis what her father used to do? She was told that Jawaharlal use to go amongst adivasis, used to wear headgear like adivasis, and wearing it he would dance with them touching shoulder to shoulder. Then like Jawaharlalji, Indira also used to go amongst adivasis in forest, used to dress like them used to enjoy and dance with them. There used to be filming of Indira Gandhi too and screened in theaters. Her dancing pictures used to be published in newspapers.

After the death of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi took over as Prime Minster of India. He too would go to adivasis in forest, dress like them and dance with them. All this is not imagination. This actually happened in reality.  No social, economic and educational development program for adivasis was implemented. Only to go amongst adivasis, dress like them, dance with them and campaign on this through national newspapers so that people think that these are great people that care so much for adivasis; not even educated people of the country go to adivasis but in spite of being nation’s Prime Minister they are going there.

Were they concerned about Adivasis development? Jawaharlal used to dance, Indira Gandhi used to dance, and Rajiv Gandhi used to dance. Sonia Gandhi too used to go with Rajiv Gandhi to Adivasis but she was never shown dancing. If she was Prime Minister then she would possibly have danced. She definitely would have continued on the tradition of her great ancestors. And they should be continued too. I have no objection for this. Let her definitely continue the traditions.

Enemy must continue the task of enmity. To expect friendship from an enemy is the foolishness of the one who expects. Jawaharlalji, Indiraji, Rajivji, all these people used to dance with adivasis, and made adivasis dance with them. The result of this is that dancing-dancing adivasis has reached on the brink of death due to hunger and malnutrition. They are lagging behind in the field of education.

The special program that should have designed by government for the educational upliftment of adivasis, did not take place. In these 59 years of Independence congress ruled for nearly 40-50 years. There was not even the reality of shortage of resources and assets. Today situation is such that Adivasis to a large scale are in a state of despair. Adivasis do not trust any government agency and government representative. Illiterate man takes decisions based on his experience. The despair that arose amongst adivasis was taken advantage of by RSS, BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad people and said Ram has become of you people. People were told that Sant-Mahant-Dharmacharya can make your welfare possible. That’s why despaired people are caught up in a web of these Dharmacharyas. On one side people are coming out of fire and reaching into ashes.