Untouchability In Untouchables: A Study In The Philosophy Of Babasaheb Ambedkar

Abstract

From time immemorial, in India, untouchability is there as a big social problem. A major portion of people resides in India are marked as untouchable and forced to live in the marginal area of a village bearing the stigma of untouchable. Being untouchable they are not allowed to take part in various social, religious programmes conducted by the higher castes. This caste culture is so prominent that even today untouchables are consciously separated from the main stream and tortured publicly, physically and mentally without any protest. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar keenly observed the situation and began to fight against it. Surprisingly Ambedkar observed that untouchables are not only the victims of caste system existing in India and not only oppressed by the higher caste, but also there is a tendency to use the concept of oppression among untouchables. In a word there is untouchability among the untouchable communities. This is characterized as the inner crises of the untouchable communities. So Dr. Ambedkar had to fight at the same time against two demons- to fight against the hierarchy of caste system established by Manu and the hierarchy maintain by the untouchable communities created by them. In our paper we shall show the causes of the emergence of untouchability among untouchable communities and at the same time we shall show the process followed by Dr. Babasheb Ambedkar to eradicate the same from the Indian society by fighting against the prevalent casteism in India in favour of his cherished society based on Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. In this connection Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted to actualize the concept of humanism which is called by the scholars Material Humanism.