14th 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.
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