Day: August 28, 2016

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Importance of Harijan Movement of Mahatma Gandhi.

The announcement of the Communal Award in August 1932 was another example of ‘Divide & Rule’ policy , it’s a Separate Electoral Award policy which means a muslim can only vote muslims,hindus vote hindu & sikhs vote sikhs. the award assigned to the sikhs,muslims,christians and dalits (scheduled castes), as they have a number of seat in every legislature  on the basis of Separate Electoral.

Congress was against separate electoral because congress knows that it increases separatism and communalism ,which was not good for indian national & freedom movement. this award affect  the sentiments of a lot of hindu population, who was dalit. because it was  the scheme to separate dalit from other hindus, every nationalist leader was against it. One more thing was that it makes an untouchable (dalit) always untouchable. another thing that was suggested that we can increases the number of seats  in legislature by the  Adult franchise system ,so  on 20 september 1932 all the mandir, wells, gurudwaras and lands was opened for all the dalit society, at same day gandhi started his Fasting against Communal award.at last an agreement was signed between BR Ambedkar and  mahatma gandhi in puna (1932) known as puna pact. so in Provincial Legislature dalit seats was increased to 147 from 71 and in Central Legislature this was increased to 18 percent.

 

So where from Harijan Andolan start ?

The word Harijan which means hari ka jan , the man of god was given by gandhi in 1933 to dalit and all other depressed classes after puna pact gandhi decided for an Untouchable prevention movement , he was always against untouchability ,in 1933 he started a movement against it. He was in fasting in july and august against untouchability  and  from 7 november 1933 he started traveling all over the india from Wardha Ashram to fight against untouchability and for a social demand of socioeconomic and political support to dalits by fellow indians and government. His movement was known as ”Harijan Yatra”. which was a long Journey which takes 9 month. Gandhi faced a lot of trouble by  reactionary forces they also bombed a car against the The Temple Entry Bill . the The Temple Entry Bill was not passed in parliament in 1934 because of dishonest forces.

What was the effect of Harijan Andolan to the society ?

This movement affected both harijans and others life these are some examples.

  1. Practicing any type of untouchability stopped constitutionally after independence, it became also a crime against anyone under the THE PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, 1955 . some schedule also passed before and after independence. 
  2. The harijan andolan was not fully successful but it start destroying and start attacking on caste system by which a more united india become possible,this is the effect of this andolan by which any hindu can enter in any temple,and anyone can  stop anyone to do any type of partiality on the basis of caste.
  3. Harijan become more in contact with National Freedom Movement.
  4. They get their rights in constitution as well as women also.
  5. The congressman and other get the option that what to do if the a National Movement is weak, they can do a lot for making it more strong.

*1- Image Source- File:Gandhi, Harijan Work at Madras.jpg . This work is in the public domain in India.