Time Demands Gandhi Panel Discussion
Coinciding with 75 years of India’s independence, Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Wardha, Maharashtra in association with Gandhian Collective India and Faculty of Gandhian Studies, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad organized the fourth online Panel Discussion on the theme Approaches to the question of Caste: Gandhi and Ambedkar on March 29, 2023. This was a part of the yearlong panel discussion series “Time Demands Gandhi” This panel discussion was coordinated by Sri Jamnalal Bajaj Memorial Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies (JBMLRCGS),Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Sevagram,Wardha. Dr. B. K. Harish Kumara of Gandhian Collective India on behalf of the organizers wholeheartedly welcomed the participants, dignitaries and three panelists of the session.
Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Director, Sri Jamnalal
Bajaj Memorial Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies in his
introduction stated that there are divergent views regarding
approaches of Gandhi and Ambedkar towards caste.
Dr.
Nishikant Kolge Associate Professor, Centre for Developing
Societies, Delhi and author of the well known book Gandhi
Against Caste in his presentation argued that Gandhi like Ambedkar
was champion of annihilation of the caste system. He said “Gandhi has been
often described as a Casteist who believed in caste system and
Varnashramadharma. But based on my studies of his approach to the question of
Caste I would say like Ambedkar, Gandhi was equally attempting to
annihilate the caste system in his own way. Annihilation of caste was his
ultimate objective even though he was busy with work of attainment of swaraj.” To
substantiate his argument he placed before the audience following facts for
consideration. If we look at his personal practices in his family and
his ashrams, he never followed caste restrictions and fought against
the practice of untouchability. In Gandhi's approach we can see an
evolving strategy starting with removal of untouchability and proceeding
step by step with inter-dining, inter-caste marriage and so on.
His opposition to a separate electorate was an attempt to reform
Hindu society which created positive results. Also his approach to caste was
not a fundamental aspect of his philosophy of life.
Dr.John
Chelladurai, Professor and Head Department of Gandhian Studies, MGM University,
Aurangabad focused on the dialectics of Gandhi and Ambedkar
in his presentation. He said “The discourse between Gandhi and Ambedkar was one
of the most sensitive issues of social liberation and it continues to intrigue
common readers. The major discord, which of late assumed the proportion
of controversy, came up in 1932, when Gandhi undertook infinite fasting against
the separate electorate ordinance.” Gandhi had long before declared
himself as an ‘untouchable’ by choice and condemned the practice of
‘untouchability’ by equating it with Gen. Dyer’s homicide. Gandhi
said as early as 1921, freedom of the country will remain a distant
dream till the curse of untouchability remains in our midst. Removal of
‘untouchability’ is a reform not to follow Swaraj but to precede it.” Gandhi’s apprehension
was that the separate electorate for ‘untouchables’ would amount to legally
concretizing this shameful identity on a people who deserved justice and equality
and would kill all prospects of reform. What happened between Gandhi and
Ambedkar, was an essential dialectic discourse in the journey of Indian
liberation that synthesized an ever growing brotherhood between the erstwhile
hostile fellow beings.”
Prof.
Varan Vardhan P., Professor of Philosophy, St.Paul's Institute of Theology,
Thiruchirapally, in his presentation focused
on complementarity of these two great
personalities by showing famous Taoism symbol ‘Yin-Yang’ It signifies the
co-presence of two opposite factors; yet fit to be cooperative.
Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar’s differences, rather oppositional stances on the caste
question demands a factor of sameness, thus capable of placing them as
complementary. Such sameness is their approach to the Dalit question. Both
their contributions are valid and valuable for the issue of dealing with
untouchability and the uplift of the Dalits. Based on such sameness, their
oppositional stances on the question of caste could be placed complementary and
thus cooperative too. Gandhian and Ambedkarean approaches towards the caste
question are complementary to one another, based on the sameness of their valid
contributions to the Dalit question. Such complementary placing of these two
valid and different approaches about the caste question immensely contribute
towards its total annihilation, the already and not-yet. Stressing on any one
of their approaches leads to only partial resolution of the problem, making it
resilient as evident in today’s India.
Prof.Prem
Anand Mishra Dean, Faculty of Gandhian Studies Gujarat Vidyapith was the
moderator of the panel discussion and summed
up the discussions of each speaker and how each one approach is beneficial
towards annihilation of caste and untouchability. It was followed by live
discussions on various aspects of the theme.The meeting was attended by noted
academics, social activists, scientists, doctors and other
professionals. The presence of Dr.Michael Warren Sonnleitner,
Formerly Professor in the Political Science, Department Portland
Community College ,Oregon, USA, Adv. Lubna Yeasmin, Supreme Court, Bangladesh,
Nathalie Joulain, France, Peace activists from African and Asian countries,
prominent academics of India representing different universities was an
encouraging experience and the participants were full of appreciation for such
an academic exercise. On behalf of organizers, Shri Kapil Deshwal,
Assistant Professor, Department of Gandhian Philosophy, Gujarat Vidyapith
proposed a vote of thanks
.
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