BALAPUR

14^th of April  is  the Birthday of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. The birthday celebrations were conducted and spread over next 3 months. Various programmes like dramas, folk songs, folk plays, lectures, public meetings were held in almost all villages and towns. It was considered as a festival day in the Mahar community especially as Dr. Ambedkar belonged to this caste.

During my leave it happened. A big celebration was scheduled at Balapur, a Taluka place in Akola District, about 5 miles away from our village and historically famous during Hyder Ali’s rule. It had a big fort built on the bank of a river. In fact Balapur was situated in the middle of two rivers. Since it was under the rule of Muslim Nawabs for a very long period, it had nearly 50% Muslim population. It was a very sensitive town . Saturday was the Bazaar day, when villagers from surroundings would come there for weekly purchases. There was a high hillock just in the middle of the market place. And celebration of birth anniversary and a public meeting was arranged on the top of the hillock. Very prominent leaders like Bhayia Saheb Ambedkar, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar’ s son, a big attraction, Mr. B. C. Kamble, Mr. D. T. Rupwate, Santu Gawai, needless to mention my brother etc. were invited. Ground was packed with public. As the custom was to open the public meeting with smaller speakers, I went near to the Dias and asked my brother who flatly refused me to speak. From my childhood I had been reading Dr. Ambedkar’s views in “Janata”, and my brother was well aware of my thinking. Since I was standing near to the Dias one of the chief guests asked me the reason I was standing. He immediately allowed me. Response to my speech from public was so much that I was allowed to speak more than 3-4 minutes. When I finished after 5-10 minutes my brother rushed to me and asked to climb down the hillock from the backside and arranged a bullock cart. He requested the owner to take me to our village without delay. He knew my brother but neither he nor I knew the reason that so hurriedly I was whisked away!

Next day my brother told me that after my speech a policeman came to the Dias and asked the programmers my name and address. He told them my speech was provocative and instigating. But the organizer deliberately said that  in order to encourage our younger generation for public speaking we always give opportunity to them on such occasion and being normal practice we never ask them full name and address etc. The policeman was not satisfied but he went away. That was the reason I was taken away immediately.He told me this and said that otherwise it would have created a big problem for me.

What was objectionable that I spoke? It was like this – “Our country has been partitioned on the basis of two religions namely Hindu and Muslim. Those who wanted to go to Pakistan left for Pakistan and the Muslims who considered India their country stayed back. But in passage of time it was observed that the Muslims were being neglected for all   the rights provided in our constitution. And exactly the same was the condition of the Scheduled Castes who were known earlier untouchables. With awakening movement of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, they started asserting for their legitimate rights which were being denied systematically. Time has come that we must join hands to achieve  our  legitimate  dues, I did not know what was wrong with this. Probably it was not wrong but the time was wrong when I said it. I was a military jawan!

Day of my departure had come. It was always a sorrowful programme. On that day my mother would prepare food and I would invite all my friends for meals. However every member looked gloomy. So far other people of locality and village were concerned they were very much doubtful about my passing matriculation. “Raoji wanted to console his mother by telling such stories”, they said. Also my mother thought every departure day meant my last day for her as she yet considered that anybody who went in military meant was only to die.

 People of Maharwada would take me in procession up to the last point. There my brother Raghunath would break coconut, sprinkle water on my head, my sister-in-law would apply kum-kum (powder with turmeric) on my forehead, Dada would bless me and lastly my mother would kiss me and sobbing gently put her hands on my head to bless saying, “God, bring my son and bring him back safely”. After putting a piece of jaggary and curd in my mouth as it was a tradition to do so being auspicious sign to see off the soldiers going on field of war. I would get into hired bullock cart with my 2-3 bags and proceed to Shegaon.

Needless to write whole scene used to linger in my mind till I reached our centre. However I would see a hidden satisfaction, happiness and worry free signs on the faces of my family members, which gave me immense solace.