The following appeared in Bahishkrit Bharat on Friday, 4^th Nov 1927 under the heading of “Current Issues”. The original text is in Marathi and translation to English is done by Prashant Bhaware. The original text is in 2 paragraphs only but to make reading easier, the text has been divided into more paragraphs. You can find the original text at the end of this post. – editor

What kind of deceptive organisation Hindu Mahasabha is, we have shown and brought into people’s notice several times. What can you expect but the failure to those stupid people who want to organise the society preserving the Varna system? But I find it more surprising that these nincompoops who from different religions are performing purification ritual to get converted into Hinduism without even realising this fallacious propaganda. Two examples are available to read in today’s copy, cited in correspondence, explaining humiliation that has to face to those who came from different religions into Hinduism by conversion.

R. Naidu was a Savarna (Touchable) Hindu before he was converted to Christianity. Then he thought his society will accept him by his old Hindu identity so he reconverted to Hinduism by performing purification. But against his expectations his community didn’t accept him and didn’t showed any love for him like in past. Therefore to get rid of this pain and with no acceptance from his own society, he abandoned Hinduism and again converted back to his single Varna religion – Christianity. Even though if he would have stayed like that in the Hindu religion, no considerable loss would have happened. The reason is, there is no considerable difference in social status between Savarna (touchable) Hindu and the person who follows Christianity. But in between a Hindu Untouchable and a Christian, there is a tremendous difference in social status.

Humanity is accepted for one and for others it is denied. For one all the opportunities for his all-round progress are open. For other, doors for all the opportunities for his development are shut. Taking this into consideration, it is astonishing when someone who is enjoying high social status as Christian coming into Hindu religion and sitting on the social lines with Untouchables. R. Vishwas is a no less known gentleman, it cannot be said that he is unaware of the deteriorating situation of the Hindu Untouchables. The stupidity he showed from his act is evident enough to understand that religion is not established on social suitability. If R Vishwas was aware of the fact that Christianity is superior to the Hindu religion on the basis of social suitability, he would never have somersaulted from Christianity to Hinduism. Now that he has realised it we hope he will go back to abide Christianity. From his example, it is a lesson to those Untouchables who converted to different religions, leaving Hindu religion and will not fall for the fallacious propaganda that is being spread by Hindu Mahasabha, which is great news for us.

In middle India and in Rajputana, lives Meghwal Untouchable community. This community was using ornaments made up of brazen. People from this community who are economically sound are now feeling ashamed to wear those brazen ornaments. To feel like dressing appropriate costumes as according to one’s financial capacity is a very obvious and natural thing. By following this rule, Meghwal community have started wearing silver ornaments. It is a pity that those who can afford gold are satisfying their fascination and their fondness with silver. But local Savarnas instead of feeling pity, they are angry with it. Untouchable Meghwal caste wearing silver ornaments is disrespecting and dishonouring to the Savarna Hindus, that is what they think. Because of this, people from Meghwal caste is now being subjected to immense torture and oppression.

In this edition, we have also published two correspondences (letter conversation) of gentlemen from the Vidarbha region. Their sensitive story is very similar in this subject. It looks like the only crime of these Untouchables is that they are now living a clean and hygienic lifestyle. Rules and restrictions on social lifestyles on every Varna are imposed by Manu in a very detailed way in his Manusmriti. These rules and restrictions are so inhuman that one can think that it can only be followed in the imagination, but if we think and understand deeply on the above types of examples, it is clear that these rules and restrictions are being strictly followed in the society. If this would have not been the case such instances would have never happened in the society. From British penal codes… (Continued on the next page which is not available).

— B. R. Ambedkar

(Translated by Prashant Bhaware)