B. R. Ambedkar v/s Muhammad Ali Jinnah
When Dalit messiah was betrayed by Muslim icon
Ambedkar was deeply hurt by betrayal of Jinnah
Updated: April 14, 2016 6:23 AM IST
By Mohammed Uzair ShaikhEmail
B. R. Ambedkar v/s Muhammad Ali Jinnah: When Dalit messiah was betrayed by Muslim icon
Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a unique personality in India’s freedom struggle. He neither shared a longtime affinity with Indian National Congress, nor those who were opposed to the whims and fancies of Mahatma Gandhi. Ambedkar shares a history with the then Muslim icon Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Dravidian reformer Periyar Ramasamy. The trio were once united on the agenda of anti-Congressism. However, Ambedkar later ended up being deeply hurt as Jinnah betrayed their joint separatist struggle.
Back in 1939, the three respected figures of Indian self-determination movement – Jinnah, Ambedkar and Periyar met in Poona to contemplate the future course of action. All of them, concerned for their respective communities, feared that the replacement of British rule by Congress would only replace the oppression of British by Brahmans. They were firm that the interests of Mahars, Muslims, Dravidians could only be protected if they are respectively carved out of this nation. Similar to the proposed Pakistan and Dravidasthan of Jinnah and Periyar, Ambedkar had then dreamt of a separate land for Mahars, the community lying on the lowest rung of Dalit hierarchy.
The trio decided that their demands were separate yet cumulative. The only way to make Gandhi agree for the separation of three different nations was to put forth a joint struggle. However, this mission was betrayed by Jinnah, who selfishly rejoiced at Congress’ decision to allow the creation of a separate Muslims state, which later was founded as Pakistan. However, the idea of a separate Mahar and Dravidian state was not even considered, far from being accepted by the Congress. Instead of expressing solidarity with his peers – Periyar and Ambedkar, Jinnah turned away from them. (ALSO READ: B R Ambedkar 125th birth anniversary: 5 quotes of Ambedkar prove he was an avowed enemy of RSS’ brand of Hinduism)
This self-serving attitude of Jinnah had struck Ambedkar hard. The latter always considered the rights of minorities along with Dalits. However, the betrayal of Jinnah turned him bitter. His colleague Periyar had a word with the Muslims League founder, urging him to voice their demand. But Jinnah refused to rejoin their struggle saying, “If the people your province really desire Dravidasthan, then it is for them to assert themselves…I can only speak for Muslim India.”
This cold response by Jinnah to Periyar’s plea turned Ambedkar bitter. He expressed his anguish in the book Pakistan and Partition of India, where the Dalit icon said: “”Brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of mankind. It is confined for Muslims only. There is fraternity but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those outside, there is nothing but contempt and enmity.”
When Dalit messiah was betrayed by Muslim icon
Ambedkar was deeply hurt by betrayal of Jinnah
Updated: April 14, 2016 6:23 AM IST
By Mohammed Uzair ShaikhEmail
B. R. Ambedkar v/s Muhammad Ali Jinnah: When Dalit messiah was betrayed by Muslim icon
Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a unique personality in India’s freedom struggle. He neither shared a longtime affinity with Indian National Congress, nor those who were opposed to the whims and fancies of Mahatma Gandhi. Ambedkar shares a history with the then Muslim icon Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Dravidian reformer Periyar Ramasamy. The trio were once united on the agenda of anti-Congressism. However, Ambedkar later ended up being deeply hurt as Jinnah betrayed their joint separatist struggle.
Back in 1939, the three respected figures of Indian self-determination movement – Jinnah, Ambedkar and Periyar met in Poona to contemplate the future course of action. All of them, concerned for their respective communities, feared that the replacement of British rule by Congress would only replace the oppression of British by Brahmans. They were firm that the interests of Mahars, Muslims, Dravidians could only be protected if they are respectively carved out of this nation. Similar to the proposed Pakistan and Dravidasthan of Jinnah and Periyar, Ambedkar had then dreamt of a separate land for Mahars, the community lying on the lowest rung of Dalit hierarchy.
The trio decided that their demands were separate yet cumulative. The only way to make Gandhi agree for the separation of three different nations was to put forth a joint struggle. However, this mission was betrayed by Jinnah, who selfishly rejoiced at Congress’ decision to allow the creation of a separate Muslims state, which later was founded as Pakistan. However, the idea of a separate Mahar and Dravidian state was not even considered, far from being accepted by the Congress. Instead of expressing solidarity with his peers – Periyar and Ambedkar, Jinnah turned away from them. (ALSO READ: B R Ambedkar 125th birth anniversary: 5 quotes of Ambedkar prove he was an avowed enemy of RSS’ brand of Hinduism)
This self-serving attitude of Jinnah had struck Ambedkar hard. The latter always considered the rights of minorities along with Dalits. However, the betrayal of Jinnah turned him bitter. His colleague Periyar had a word with the Muslims League founder, urging him to voice their demand. But Jinnah refused to rejoin their struggle saying, “If the people your province really desire Dravidasthan, then it is for them to assert themselves…I can only speak for Muslim India.”
This cold response by Jinnah to Periyar’s plea turned Ambedkar bitter. He expressed his anguish in the book Pakistan and Partition of India, where the Dalit icon said: “”Brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of mankind. It is confined for Muslims only. There is fraternity but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those outside, there is nothing but contempt and enmity.”
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