Time Demands Gandhi Panel Discussion


Report of a Panel Discussion :Approaches to the question of Caste: Gandhi and Ambedkar






 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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