Progressive Thoughts in Maharashtra and need of social enlightenment of OBCs------------------------------------------------------ Presented by AHMED NOOR, ASSISTANT TEACHER, Urdu High School, Jalna (MS)
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ABSTRACT
Progressive thought has shaped Maharashtra. It brought a social and religious awakening. Saints and reformers played a crucial role in shaping society. Saints of the Bhakti Movement in the medieval period played an important role in progressive thought. The reformers during the 19th and 20th centuries were against social and blind beliefs and fought against conservative thoughts. Industrialization, urbanization and English education have helped in social enlightenment. Child marriage, secondary status of women, inhuman conditions of widows and denial of girls’ education were prevailing in the Maharashtrian society. The caste system is evil in society causing inequality and division of human beings. Reformers and social leaders fought against social evils that were rotted in Maharashtrian society. The Constitution which is based on social justice and equality has brought social change. The Mandal Commission brought caste consciousness. The Commission identified OBCs and declared as socially, educationally and economically backward and granted reservation in education and in jobs in the government-controlled office. The Mandal Commission made social and political consciousness amongst OBCs. In spite of having progressive thought and liberal Constitution, OBCs are still embroiled in social problems and evils. OBCs are facing problems like illiteracy, low education, and disintegration in OBCs which hampered in progress. Weak OBC leadership, reluctant to accept the leadership of OBC are major hurdles in the OBC movement. Moreover, social evils and outdated beliefs and superstations have crept in OBCs. There is a need for Social enlightenment to eradicate these problems. Caste organizations should come to one platform and become a strong force to address their issues. Improving Education and economic condition would lead to economic and social awakening in the OBCs.
Introduction-
Thought shapes man and mold society. It is a dynamic force. It creates and moves. Progressive and rational thoughts show light to society. It brings in to light from the darkness. A society cannot be developed unless it has rational and progressive thoughts. Thoughts- scientific, rational and human values enlighten the society. These help in the development of social awakening and bring a change in society.
Clashes of progressive and Conservative thoughts.
Progressive thought is always opposed by conservative thought and elite castes in public and government levels. They knew that these thoughts would damage their existence that had been exploiting socially backward people and made salves. It was time, the Indian society in general and Maharashtrian society, in particular, was caught in a vicious web created by superstitions and social obscurantism. Several evil practices had crept into society. Superstition was rampant. It held over the minds of people as well as those in power. Conservative ideology led to social imbalance and disharmony in society. This caused division and discrimination were among men. The most distressing was the position of downtrodden society and women. The birth of a girl was unwelcome, her marriage was a burden and her widowhood was inauspicious. Prohibiting inter-caste dining, inter-caste marriages, child marriage, and educational backwardness were common phenomena. The caste- system has been the most obnoxious evil. It hampered social mobility, fostered social divisions and sapped individual initiatives. Above all was the humiliation of untouchability which destroyed against human dignity. There was a languishing spirit everywhere in society. Caste is an important social institution of Indian society. The ancient theological scriptures divided mankind into four sections which cause social division and the caste system. People accepted blindly, without examination of the scripture. Dogmas and doctrines were imposed upon people by priests. The evil of the caste system has penetrated deep into the hearts of society because of the age-old cultural misconception. In the chaos of social evils, progressive and rational thoughts have emerged and confronted with conservative thoughts. In the medieval period, progressive thought was shaped by the Bhakti movement. Saints of Bhakti movements like Sants Danyeshwar, Eknath, Tukaram, and Sufi saints gave liberal religious ideology based on equality and casteless society. They emphasized the virtues of love and devotion, brotherhood and equality. This helped to bring different castes and religions nearer. According to them, there was no distinction and consideration of high and low on the basis of birth. Their doors were open to all classes. They began to mix together on the basis of equality. They believed in the equality of man and man. Their movement tried to loosen the bond of caste. They woke people up from "dogmatic slumber". The effect of the Bhakti movement is described by Justice Ranade in these words: “Like the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the 16th century, there was a religious, social and literary revival and reformation in India, but notably in the Deccan in the 15th and 16th centuries.”The advent of English education, railway, industrialization and urbanization led social consciousness. Science was making important breakthroughs in every field; technology was transforming agriculture, industry and transportation. Development of Science and technology improved lives of people as well as of thought of people. That tend to provide for a class consciousness that was economic class of rich and poor, employers and employees, management and the labourer. The rise social and religious reformers of 19th and 20 th century shaped a new thought and great impact on the Maharastrian society. Social reformer and journalist Acharya Balshatri Jambhekar (1810-1846) condemned the evil customs of Sati, female infanticide. Gopal Hari Deshmukh(1823-1892) attacked orthodox social customs. Pioneer of progressive thought, Jotirao Phule revolted against the unjust caste system and upheld the cause of untouchables and education of women of lower castes. He preached for the abolition of false beliefs, meaningless rituals and baseless customs. He inspired the lower castes to form their association to create a spirit of cooperation and work for their emancipation from the age old taboos pertaining to shudras in social status, education and religion. Jothiba founded the Satyashodak mandal to bring together all the backward classes on a common platform. He preached the principle of adequate representation for members of all castes in public services. Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar(1837–1925) and Justice Ranade(1842–1901) were the pioneers of Prathana Samaj that helped in social awakening and brought religious reform. Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj (1874–1922) also plunged into the movement and defied the caste system, championed the cause of the untouchables and promoted education in his state. Maharashtra will always remain proud of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar (1891–1956), the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and the creator of a social and political awareness among the Scheduled Castes of India. Thus, the works of the saint-poets, the social reformers and the social constructive workers have gave shaped progressive and rational thoughts. Their teachings have made great help in enlightening and social awaking in the society. Progressive thought was dare to understand of logic, questioned to traditionalists. It gave power freedom speech and has impact on human made system like government, laws, schools and markets. In spite of the opposition from the orthodox sections of the society, progressive thought contributed towards liberating people from the exploitation of priests. Reformers examined religious texts and customs on rational basis. In the words of philosopher James. Reformers read and absorb the principles of liberalism and propagate. This led to the social awakening. Thus progressive thoughts have made very significant contribution. Other Backward Classes (OBCs) The ‘backward class’ does not constitute one single whole but a multitude of social groups with varying positions and socio-economic standing in the social hierarchy of Indian society. The OBCs are entitled to special provisions in education and employment. Indian Constitution has provided us with a way of life that is in consonance with the ideals of democracy. The First Backward Classes Commission at the National level was set up by a Presidential Order under Article 340 of the Constitution of India on January 29, 1953, under the Chairmanship of Kaka Saheb Kalelkar. This commission submitted its report on March 30, 1955, and prepared a list of 2,399 castes and communities from the entire country and 837 of these were considered ‘most backward’ requiring special attention. The second All India Backward Classes Commission, Bindhyeshwari Prasad Mandal popularly known as Mandal Commission was appointed by the Government of India in 1978 under Article 340 of the Constitution to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes to determine the criteria for defining the socially and educationally backward classes. This commission submitted its report in 1980 and identified 3,943 castes covering 52 percent of the total population as OBCs in educational institutions and government services. The Commission report was in cold storage later then prime minister, V.P Singh implemented the report and gave justice to the OBCs. Actually, the Mandal Commission can be considered the intellectual inspiration in transforming caste-based identity into an asset that may be used as a basis for securing political and economic gains. The Mandal Commission has heightened the consciousness of the OBC. During the last decade, OBC leaders have tried to bring all OBCs one platform for right and bring social awareness. Leaders late Gopinath Munde, Chhagan Bhujbal, Shabbir Ansari and contemporary leaders are trying to come one platform and raising political and social awareness. Problems of OBCs Each OBC caste has powerful and continue to claim recognition, but disunity in OBCs and weak OBC leadership, their problems are not forcefully put before the government level. Instead of coming under the banner of OBCs, they are divided into majoritism and minoritism, or religious basis which has weaken the OBC movement. A weak movement led to a weak voice. Consciousness unity in OBCs makes political and social influence to get their rights. OBC castes of other religions like Muslims, Christian and Sikh communities have been segregated due to their different culture and religion. The supremacy of one own caste and inferior to others within OBC are a reason of disunity in the OBCs. The OBCs, follow and accept the leadership of dominated caste instead of OBC leadership, resulting in their problems are undermined. Outdated customs, superstition and irritation beliefs are being still prevailed in most of castes which are the main obstacles in development. Stick to traditional professions and reluctant to choose other careers, lack of higher and technical education led to economic backward in amongst OBCs. Absence of caste-census, an exact figure of the OBC population has not come out. The Movement of reservations of dominated caste has put a hold on the OBC movement. A recent curtail of political reservation of OBC in self-governments has also deprived political opportunity..
Need Social Enlightenment in OBCs
Though we have adopted a liberal democratic polity, progressive thought, OBCs are lagging backward socially, economically To remove backward, social enlightenment is indispensable. Our Constitution gives equal rights. Religion, language, region, caste or community is no longer the basis of special powers and privileges. There is a need to make aware the Constitutional rights. The OBCs have to attempt to adjust themselves to the changed conditions of life and play a new role. They have to take benefits of industrialization and urbanization, which helps in enlightening. Education should be given utmost priority as education makes people liberal, broad-minded, rationale and democratic. Education that too higher education, pertaining to the fields of science and technology, provides the basis of modernization. The liberal education paves of rational thoughts. They should not stick and embroiled outdated customs and irrational religious beliefs. However gaining progressive thought, one can not run away from religion as saying ‘Man can not live by bread alone. In India, religious leaders are superior to masses and frequently the religion is more powerful than a democratic government. At the same time, religion should not be based on superstition and outdated customs. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted to abolish evils prevailing in society. He thought that social reforms were necessary than political reforms. According to him, religion is the foundation of any society. To him, religious and social reform is essential to economic reform. Religion is the source of power that power can be used to reformation. Social Enlightenment is needed for replacing darkness, discarding obsolete and irrational beliefs. It breaks barriers of caste, color, province, and religion would be broken. Dr. Ambedkar's ideal or just society or casteless society must be based on reason and not on atrocious traditions of the caste system. To him, for the annihilation of caste, it is essential to religious reform. Caste organizations of OBC will have to strengthen for focusing discarding evils. They have to safeguard their interests as well as other castes. These organizations should emphasize running educational institutions, hostels, libraries and providing scholarships. Federation of OBCs should be formed for working social awakening and fighting for their rights. Caste-census should be demanded as the census ensures that each community gets the right number of representatives in development schemes and government. Conclusion.
Maharashtra is known for its progressive thought. Bhakti movement and social reformers have made a great impact on society for their thoughts. Social evils and outdated religious beliefs, caste-system which were rampant in the society, were rejected by reformers. OBCs which are reportedly more than 50 percent of the population, are needed social enlightenment for their progress socially, politically and economically. The State has the liberal Constitution, progressive thought social evils, caste-system, secondary status of women, widows, exist. Social awakening and rational thoughts are indispensable to eradicate these evils.
References
1)Makers of Modern of India by Ramchandra Guha 2)Status of Dalits in Inida by Geetanjali 3)The problems of Dalits and OBCs by Premlata Sharma 4)N. Lekshmi Kutty “Vivekanada : A study in national, social and spiritual reconstruction of India 5) Booklet on OBC Jatine Kaya karu aani kya karu naye by Mahadev Jankar
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