PRELUDE TO BAMCEF & BAMCEF.

As I stated earlier my surname which is normally found in high caste – especially Brahmins caste – initially there was hesitation and cautious approach of scheduled caste employees of my office and also outsiders towards me. 

There was an educational institution founded by our officers like D ,T,Sawant H. S., Jadhav and Mr. Bhosle . named “Siddharth Shikshan Sahayak Samiti” or by acronym “S-4”! I was very eager to join it but I was being doubted because of my misleading name and secondly my critical analysis on conversion of S/C especially of Mahars to Buddhism and as such my admission was being viewed as of fifth columnist! One day I was compelled to tell in brief about my family background and also showed “Jai Bhim” tattooed on my left arm. Jai Bhim means

“Victory to Bhim” – i.e. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar – which was being used by Mahars as way of “salutation”! Dr. Ambedkar had already become a “Messiah” an Emancipator, a “Saviour” and as a Father for the scheduled caste communities particularly among Mahars!

I was only in third standard when I had got  IT  tattooed on my arm in the fair of Shegaon where we children used to go every year. Any way my friends got convinced of my genuineness and I was admitted in the S-4 association.

********Officers’ Welfare Association – Pune************

In fact I had formed it, but it was a very small group. Important officers were Mr. K. P. Gaikwad, who later on became an I.P.S. officer, Mr. Vasant Khobragade, who became Dy. Collector and then collector, Mr. Katakdhond, who became Registrar Corporative, Maharashtra Government, H. S. Jadhav, PEX AIR, Mr. Bhosale, Post & Telegraph Office, Mr. D. T. Sawant, Agricultural Officer, Mr. S. T. Sawant who became M.L.A., Mr. Kanshiram and many others). Public meeting was arranged by them and Mr. B. B. Bhosale, my Station Director, AIR, Pune was invited to be the chief guest. When I was asked to say a few words – I, in brief, said as follows – “We accepted Buddhism, but we yet follow many Hindu religious ceremonies. We should give up them. To look different, distinctly as Buddhist we should give only Buddhist names to our children. We should evolve a different dress, which will show our different identity. We should bring change in our festivals, fairs, ceremonies, songs.drams and literature.

So far family planning is concerned I am of the opinion that we should adopt a different ideology. S/C, S/T families, which are financially well off and can afford, should have more and more children, and such families which are poor and can not afford, should have minimum children. By this method one day we will be able to educate and look after their one or two children in a better way, creating a better and balanced community. Meetings of S-4 were held in my quarter. We did good work for the advancement of education for the downtrodden children. I was also elected as President of S-4. Gradually the information about it spread in other places of Pune and besides others, one Mr. Kanshiram who was working in defence at Kirkee, Pune also started attending our meetings. But he never uttered a word about either B. R. Ambedkar, his movements, our communities; their humiliations in Hindu Society etc., which issues in fact, were being debated seriously in our meetings.

Mr. Kanshiram was from Punjab and was probably not much aware of Dr. Ambedkar, his work, movement its spread and acceptance of his work by Mahars in particular and Dr. Ambedkar’s gigantic intelligence.

But after meetings we were two at my house; he would talk and show his concern about these issues. My views which I had in my mind about bringing together the Muslim community with us and about which I had expressed it openly in the Balapur public meeting long ago – were discussed in detail. Unfortunately my views got strengthened in Pune where I came in close contact with R.S.S. Cadre and its various branches and their writings which I read here. They without any ambiguity or hesitation advocated continuance of caste system and still more importantly when they asked Muslims to adopt Hindu culture or stay as “Second rate” citizens in this country disturbed me

As such my discussion with Mr. Kanshiram was as follow :- 

we have representative type of democracy, if we joined hands with Muslims – besides S/C S/T, and Christians, it would be much easier to win more seats in Assemblies and Parliament thereby forming our

Government at States and National Levels which would provide us authority to make suitable legislations and for all round up-liftment of downtrodden and especially eradicating the practice of heinous untouchability!

We crystallized our thoughts about “BAMCEF” organisation. The  pattern – not ideology – was actually borrowed from R. S. S. Organization. Its all members were Government employees who were working as finance providers and ideology makers for the R.S.S. We indeed discussed and deliberated on it and formed BAMCEF – The acronym is “Backward and Minorities Communities Employees Federation”. Its insignia and constitution was duly framed at my residence. The first handbill was printed and circulated from my residence. It ran like this –

“Are you an employee?” – “Yes”

“Do you belong to S/C, S/T or minority community?” – “Yes”

“Do you have any service or other problem?” – “Yes”

“Do you want to serve your community?” – “Yes”

Then contact –

BAMCEF

III/3, CPWD Quarter.Mukund nagar.Pune.

.

Needless to say it was my residential address!

Although I was very much busy & involved in the activities related to BAMCEF but the registration of BAMCEF organisation was completed by Kanshiram.

And it spread quickly. A Christian father from Nasik, a Muslim retired police officer (Mr. Habib?)  from Hyderabad, Master Mansingh and one Mr. Dulichand from Agra, Dr. Amitabh Nagarale, a scientific officer, Mr. Gaikwad  (RCF ) & A Musl;im Clergy – an Editor of Marathi Kuran, from Mohamad Ali Street with whom I had a detailed discussion at his office, & Mr. Anant Rao Phule, a decendent of  famous & great social  reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule  of  mid 19^th Century, D.T Sawant an agricultural officer, S.T. Sawant a Social worker, H.N. Bhosale an officer from P & T, H.S.Jadhav, a program executive officer all India radio pune,Mohile, a well-known film editor, Mumbai, Dr. Waman Mashram, & Mr. Borkar  from Nagpur & Miss. Mayawati from Delhi – to name a few whom I personally knew & who were very active & prominent BAMCEF activists during that period.

However so far plans about the future activities of BAMCEF were concerned we only two myself & Mr. Kanshiram were finalising at my residence mentioned above regularily but espically on all sundays & holidays.       

First office of BAMCEF was opened at Dnyaneshwar Lodge (Hostel) at Rasta Peth – a locality of Pune. We started conducting workshop at various places in Pune and other cities of Maharashtra. A dedicated and hard worker from Defence department joined us. His name was D. K. Khaparde.

Wherever we observed any incident of atrocity or injustice or harassment of our people, Kanshiram and I rushed there on our bicycles! Some times we made far off cycling! Organizing camps, meetings, workshops, printing handbills, pamphlets, etc. were done meticulously by Mr. Kanshiram, the home work was done much earlier. He had amazing organizational capacity. As he had no table-office work and I was tied with programme and recordings the real burden fell on Mr. Kanshiram.

By this time he had already become our family member, some times staying and dining in my house; it became a routine matter, which also provided us, to deliberate on our activities and future plans!

Because of our close family relations, my wife asked Kanshiram about his marriage and said whether she would find out match for him. Without knowing his mind on this delicate matter, I intervened saying “marriage is good” but was a hurdle and liability for the person who really desired to serve the country. My wife’s proposal then never came up for discussion.

We had assigned a fixed amount for each BAMCEF branch to contribute towards main office. We started publication of our magazine in English entitled “BAMCEF” – Kanshiram as its Editor. We organized a BAMCEF National Convention at Nagpur at Indora, a predominant locality of staunch Buddhist – Ambedkarites!

 Coincidently on the day we had main function and Kanshiram and I were to reach and address the same, a violent communal riot broke out and curfew Under 144 was clamped down in Nagpur. Our entry and address was thus debarred. Inspite of the ban we two not only reached the place, but also addressed the large gathering and made it successful.

What I said there in brief was thus – “Indian literature is solely Brahminical literature. Through every piece of its literature they show superiority of their moral life, intellectual sagacity, their God given origin. They make ‘Great’ every Brahmin, may he be a mediocre one! Such literature is also in text books which are read widely, thus creating impression of their greatness and superiority on the minds of children and readers and automatically belittling other castes, least say about our caste”.

Substance of my speech was duly covered by BAMCEF magazine. When our activities went in full swing an incident took place. 14^th April is the Birthday of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Especially in Maharashtra all Ambedkarite – employees took day’s casual leave on 14^th April and employers never refused it. Then it was not a public holiday. But an employee – probably Rankhambe (name uncertain) from a defence establishment, Pune came to my residence informing that not only his Director refused his casual leave application but uttered insulting language about Dr. Ambedkar in his presence.

Rankhambe told what his Director uttered – “Let the whole world remain closed, I shall not close my establishment on the bastard’s birthday”. The employee further told me that he too retorted the Director in the same language but was suspended!

Kanshiram and I took it seriously and decided to take a big protest-procession against the Director. Pamphlets, handbills, banners condemning the Director were printed. Strategy was worked out.

Advocate, Bajirao Kamble – real name – a well-known Ambedkarite of Pune and a social worker was requested to lead the Morcha. He gladly accepted and we both being employees remained behind the curtain! Slogans and shouts against the Director in the very vicinity of his office continued for days! 14^th April was already over; we succeeded in withdrawing Rankhambe’s suspension. It was a big victory for us! But it short lived. Director leveled various charges against Rankhambe and ultimately he was removed from the service.

 Again we took up the issue but unfortunately all our efforts proved of no use. Now there was a big problem of maintaining Rankhambe’s family. Myself, Kanshiram and a few other members started collecting money and more or less amount equal to his monthly salary  we began to handover in his house without letting them know about Rankhambe’s dismissal! Gradually all except we two i.e. my self and Kanshiram dropped from contribution scheme. We only two continued. After several months we arranged to purchase a handcart for him to carry vegetables for sale. Somehow we were able to save his family from ruination.

It was understood that the Director was demoted, although we did not try to confirm it nor the reasons, if any, for his demotion.

At village Khed Shivapur – about 20-30 Kilometers from Pune down Katraj Ghat, some higher caste people burnt a house of scheduled caste family and a woman from the family was manhandled. When we came to know about the incident, Kanshiram and I went on our bicycles to Khed Shivapur and met the family. We saw the burnt home. Actually it was a grass-thatched hut on roadside. We also met the prominent persons including those who were allegedly connected with the incident. Somehow they agreed to compensate. We took some photographs of the burnt hut for our BAMCEF magazine. But this case kept us busy for days.

During this period Kanshiram and I worked days and nights. We continued our meetings, workshops and future plans! On the whole in BAMCEF movement D. K. Khaparde’s contribution was outstanding.

 were absolutely clear about our goal, which was to launch a political party. BAMCEF was the foundation on which edifice of future political move was to be built and for that it was very necessary to widen the base of BAMCEF. To capture Bombay was must if we wanted to widen the organization. We tried our best but failed even to make a dent in Bombay. During this period I closely observed the mentality of Ambedkarite movement and its leadership. Internally they were fragmented becoming dependent on major political parties of other castes and their ideologies and totally inefficient. The Republican Party of India, which Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had founded, was shattered into pieces. Everyone was leader in it but nobody was leader of the all people. 

Kanshiram and I would sit and study literally taking the map of India, boundary of each constituency, caste of its MP – elected and defeated, pattern of voting, profile of voters, chances of winning the seats once our political party was formed in future. We were convinced, as the whole future was bright in the country but weak in Maharashtra. Although the name of the envisaged party was not declared officially but it was baptised as “Bahujan Samaj Party”. The events were taking fast shape and that too in my house i.e. III/3. C.P.W.D., Mukundnagar, Pune.

Meanwhile Kanshiram had left the service. We were neck deep in the process. One day in view of fragmented social leadership in Maharashtra – we thought that here even we threw Sahyadri Mountain in Arabian Sea, not a drop of water will touch walls of Governor’s bungalow, but even a pebble thrown in the water of artificial pond in front of Parliament, its ripple will dash against the walls of Kanyakumari temple in South”!